The workers at Amursky yard in Russia’s Far East went on strike on June 16, demanding salary pay-back and funding of the nuclear-powered subs construction. Since then nothing has changed, and the yard employees remain on strike.

The imediate future seems bleak for Amursky: The yard will have to dismiss some 4,000 of its employees during the coming three months, as its main customer – the Russian state – has not yet defined a work schedule for the yard for the year 1997 and further; in effect leaving the yard without orders. At the same time, the Defence Ministry’s debts to the yard for work already done has reached some 12.5 million USD.

On July 10 the deputies of Khabarovsk County Council appealed to Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin in connection to the critical situation at Amursky Naval shipbuilding yard, reports RIA News agency.

According to the Khabarovsk county deputies, there are two submarines under construction at Amursky yard. One of the subs is 80% complete, its reactor already loaded with nuclear fuel. Both submarines are apparently of Akula class, Project 971. Earlier reports suggested only one sub of this class to be under construction.