“As of today, 198 nuclear submarines have been decommissioned from the Navy. The disposal of about 25 submarines is not yet over; many of them are in the process of disposal. By the end of 2010, 191 nuclear submarines will have been dismantled,” said Yevgeny Yevstratov, Rosatom deputy general director, according to the news agency.

Yevstratov was presumable referring, according to Bellona records, to all derelict submarines in Russia’s Northern and Pacific fleets. Neither Yevstratov, nor other responsible parties at Rosatom were able to confirm this when Bellona Web phoned Rosatom for confirmation Wednesday.

But one spokesman, who asked to remain unidentified as he has no direct involvement with the dismantlement drive, did confirm that Yevstratov has made the comments.

Russia has signed cooperation agreements on the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines with the US, Britain, Canada, Japan, Italy and Norway for financial and technical and finacial help for funding the dismantlement drive.