News
Publish date: July 30, 1998
Written by: Igor Kudrik
News
"Blockading of railways presents a threat to nuclear and radiation safety in Russia", Chelyabinsk-based news agencies quoted Aleksandr Suslov, the acting manager of the Mayak reprocessing plant. Suslov said the special train carrying TK-18 containers with maritime spent nuclear fuel is due to arrive at Mayak. The train is currently loaded with submarine spent fuel from the Pacific Fleet. All the railways leading to Mayak are blocked by protesting miners. If the blockade is not lifted shortly the train will get stuck somewhere in Chelyabinsk county.
Two weeks ago a train reportedly laden with uranium on its way to the Siberian Chemical Combine in Tomsk County was blocked by miners as well.
Year’s third nuclear train
The train, which is due to arriving at Mayak reprocessing plant, is the third shipment of spent nuclear fuel from maritime reactors this year. The first train left Murmansk on January 30, carrying spent fuel from atomic ice breakers and nuclear-powered submarines. The second spent fuel shipment was performed from Severodvinsk in Arkhangelsk County in early April.
An accident aboard numerous Volgoneft oil tankers in the Kerch in mid December clearly show what can happen to aged ships when they are operated in bad weather—and when economic and military objectives are prioritized over the lives of crews and environmental safety.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution and climate change.
A survey of events in the field of nuclear and radiation safety relating to Russia and Ukraine.
A visit last week by Vladimir Putin and a Kremlin entourage to Astana, Kazakhstan sought in part to put Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, on good footing with local officials.