Soviet-Era Uranium Arrives In Russia From Germany

The unused uranium fuel is going from Germany to the Luch research institute at Podolsk, near Moscow.

by Staff Writers
Moscow (AFP) Dec 18, 2006
A specially adapted plane carrying more than 300 kilograms (661 pounds) of uranium from Germany landed in Russia on Monday for transfer to a research centre, the Russian atomic energy agency Rosatom told AFP. Rosatom spokesman Sergei Novikov said that "268 kilograms of highly enriched uranium and 58 kilograms of lightly enriched uranium have been transported to Russia."

"This is not waste, but unused fuel," he said, denying earlier reports. "This material will be transfered to the Luch research institute at Podolsk, near Moscow, and will be turned in the next three or four months to lightly enriched uranium for use as fuel in nuclear reactors."

Security was tight as the waste was brought to Germany's Dresden airport from the site of a now defunct Soviet-era nuclear reactor at Rossendorf.

The convoy of 48 vehicles with a 400-strong police escort was forced to make a short detour to reach the airport because environmental protesters were blocking the intended route, police said.

The operation was overseen by the United Nation's nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The uranium, which is not weapons-grade, was returned under an international agreement which provides for nuclear material dating from Soviet times to be returned to its country of origin.

The Rossendorf reactor was shut down in 1991 and is one of 20 reactors in 17 former Communist countries covered by the reprocessing agreement. Several tonnes of radioactive material remain at the plant.

Source: Agence France-Presse

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