Russia to dispose of mothballed nuclear subs and ships

Russia will dispose of all its decommissioned nuclear submarines and ships by 2010, according to Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev.

In the economic troubles that plagued the military after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia decommissioned scores of nuclear submarines and other atomic-powered vessels. Most are slowly deteriorating in naval scrapyards, raising concerns about leakage or theft of nuclear material.

Rumyantsev told politicians in the Moscow Duma, the lower house of parliament, that Russia had sufficient funds to dispose of the vessels on its own, but that financial assistance offered by other countries would help cut the time for completing the work, the report said.

Martin Shakkum, chairman of the Duma’s committee on industry and technology, said about 90 nuclear submarines and two nuclear surface vessels needed to be disposed of, Interfax said.