News
Publish date: June 28, 2005
News
Zhemchuzhnov was convicted by the Russian Military Prosecutor’s office for having neglected maritime regulations, which resulted in the sinking of K-159 and the drowning of 9 of the decommissioned subs 10 crew members. Zhemchuzhinov intends to fight back against the Navy commanders and the Defence Ministry in a court case.
Zhemchuzhnov headed the Ostrovnoy division of retired nuclear submarines at Gremikha, from where the K-159 departed on August 29th, 2003 to the Nerpa shipyard outside Murmansk for full dismantlement. The sub sank, with 800 kilograms of spent uranium nuclear fuel on board in 280 metres of water off the coast of Kildin Island in the Barents Sea.
Gennady Suchkov, commander of the Northern Fleet, was also convicted for negligence in the accident. He received a four year suspended prison sentence. He was later hired as an advisor to minister of defence, Sergey Ivanov, the Barents Observer reported.
The court case against Sergey Zhemchuzhnov has dragged out, and in March this year the case was officially closed. Zhemchuzhnov now intends to clear his name and reputation in court. He stressed however, that he is no longer interested in resuming his post as a submarine captain, said the paper.
Throughout the past year, our mission at the Bellona Environmental Transparency Center has focused on two key, but intertwined issues—nuclear and radiation safety as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags on, and the worldwide influence of Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, which itself is actively involved in the war and has participated in the occupation of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant.
At the beginning of the year, reports in the German and Russian press suggested an approximate 70% increase in uranium imports from Russia to Germany in 2024. But does this reflect broader European trends? It does not. Overall, imports of uranium and nuclear fuel from Russia to Western countries actually dropped sharply in 2024. Unlike the situation in Germany, this is already an established trend.
A Lingen, Germany plant could begin producing nuclear fuel in cooperation with a subsidiary of Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation, which is directly involved in the war in Ukraine and occupying the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
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.