3/13/2003: MINISTER OF ATOMIC ENERGY ANNOUNCES
ANTITERRORISM MEASURES Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Aleksander Rumyantsev announced new
measures to mitigate the threat of nuclear terrorism and account for orphaned
radiation sources, ITAR-TASS reported on 13 March 2003. Rumyantsev also
described plans to conduct anti-terrorism training exercises at Russian nuclear
facilities. The training will be conducted by Minatom and the Ministry of
Emergency Situations. According to Rumyantsev, the training measures will
include steps to locate and finally account for all "orphaned" radioactive
sources, particularly those sources used in medicine whose service lives have
expired. The minister also noted that Minatom has set aside significant
resources to build analytical centers in all of Russia's 89 regions. The centers
will be responsible for monitoring and accounting for all radioactive sources in
the country. [German Solomatin, "V 2003 godu Minatom RF provedet ucheniya
po obespecheniyu bezopasnosti yadernykh obyektov," ITAR-TASS, 13 March 2003; in
Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.ru.] {Entered 7/21/2003 CC}
3/13/2003: RUSSIA TAKES STEPS TO ACCOUNT FOR RADIATION
SOURCES Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Aleksandr Rumyantsev held a briefing to
announce new measures to monitor and account for radiation sources used in
medicine, research, and industry, RIA-Novosti reported on 13 March 2003.
Rumyantsev had just returned from the International Conference on the Security
of Radioactive Materials, held in Vienna 11-13 March, which discussed the
problem of "orphaned" radiation sources. (For more on the conference, see
abstract 20030140
in the NIS Trafficking
database.) Rumyantsev announced the establishment of regional centers that will
account for and monitor radioactive sources in Russia. These centers, under the
authority of Minatom, will eventually be established in all 89 regions of
Russia. Fifty such centers are already in the "organizational stage" of
development, he added. The centers will maintain databases that will track the
entire life-cycle of radioactive sources, from production to disposal.
Currently, several agencies share responsibility for accounting for such
sources, and the resulting regulatory gaps mean that some sources end up in
landfills and other inappropriate disposal sites.[1] This problem is exacerbated
by the fact that existing legislation does not hold businesses and organizations
in possession of radioactive sources responsible for their appropriate
disposal. Moreover, the number and type of businesses that can acquire
radioactive isotopes is not well-regulated. The head of Russia's
Federal Inspectorate for Nuclear and Radiation Safety
(Gosatomnadzor), Yuriy Vishnevskiy, said at a press conference on 12 March
2003 that a Duma-Federation Council joint commission is working on legislation
to address these regulatory failings.[2] Meanwhile, at a press conference on 20
February 2003, Vishnevskiy said that an initial inventory of radioactive sources
and nuclear materials is underway at "a limited number of facilities," but that
it is not yet possible to say whether existing inventories of radioactive
sources correspond to their real number.[3] He did insist that these sources
would all be accounted for soon and that then it will be impossible to steal
them. Sources:
[1] Eduard Puzyrev, "Glava minatoma rossii zayavil o sozdanii tsentrov po uchetu
i kontrolyu za radioaktivnymi istochnikami," RIA Novosti, 13 March 2003; in
Integrum Techno,
http://www.integrum.ru.
[2] "Glava Minatoma Aleksandr Rumyantsev o problemakh bezopacnosti
radioaktivnykh istochnikov," IA Ural-press-inform, 12 March 2003; in Integrum
Techno database,
http://www.integrum.ru.
[3]"Pokhishchennoe izlucheniye," Izvestiya.ru, 20 February 2003; in Integrum
Techno, http://www.integrum.ru.
{Entered 7/21/2003 CC}
2/27/2003: DIRECTOR
GENERAL OF MINATOM INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR SAFETY CENTER MURDERED As reported by the Moscow headquarters of Ministry of Internal Affairs, the body of
68-year-old Sergey Bugayenko was discovered in the entryway to 44 Leninskiy
Prospekt, where he resided, at 11:00pm on 27 February 2003. Bugayenko was
General Director of the Russian Minatom International Nuclear Safety Center (RMINSC), which was
founded in 1996 under the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission. He had sustained
injuries to his skull and brain, which police believe were inflicted
by two small metal crowbars found near the scene of the crime. Two motives for the
crime are being investigated: the first theory is that the murder was a contract killing connected
with Bugayenko's professional activities, while the second suggests that Bugayenko
returned home to find robbers in his apartment, who then killed him. A
representative of RMINSC refuted the contract killing theory, stating that
Bugayenko had always been a man of purely scientific work.[1,2] Sources:
[1]"Generalnyy direktor Mezhdunarodnogo tsentra po yadernoy
bezopasnosti Minatoma Rossii ubit v Moskve,"
ITAR-TASS, 28 February 2003; in Integrum Techno,
http://www.integrum.ru.
[2]"Ubit spetsialist-yadershchik," Sankt-Peterburgskiye vedomosti,
No. 40, 1
March 2003, in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.ru. {Entered 3/4/2003 SLK}
1/31/2003: MOSCOW POLICE DETAIN
FINAL SUSPECT IN 1997 MURDER OF MINATOM ADVISER KHOKHLOV
On 31 January 2003, Moskovskiy komsomolets reported that Moscow police had
detained Dmitriy Skorobogatov, the last of three suspects in the notorious 1997 shooting death of
Vladimir Khokhlov, adviser to then-Minister of Atomic Energy Mikhailov.[1,2]
Twenty-nine-year-old Dmitriy Skorobogatov was an important figure in Novgorod organized crime before relocating to
Moscow in the early 1990s. There, he met members of a Crimean organized crime
group, and together, they engaged in numerous robberies, kidnappings,
and extortion. The gang was comprised of up to 10 people, many of whom were
officially employed by commercial banks.[1] On 11 December 1997, Skorobogatov and
two accomplices burst into the apartment on Shmitovskiy proezd where Khokhlov (the former director of the Kursk
nuclear power plant who at that time headed the Rosenergoatom subsidiary Atomresurs) lived with his family.[1,2] The
criminals
entered the apartment behind Khokhlov's chauffeur, who had intended to take
Khokhlov's child to school. They tied up the family and turned the
apartment upside down, seizing a large sum of money that they found in the
refrigerator. As they were leaving, they shot Khokhlov in the head with a
pistol. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition and died there. One
of the three assailants was apprehended and convicted in 1999. Until recently, Skorobogatov was the only one still at large. With
his arrest, police believe that the core of the gang is now behind bars. The
criminals
will soon be formally indicted.[1] Sources:
[1]"Sovetnika ministra po atomnoy energii zastrelili pri
nalete,"
Moskovskiy komsomolets, 31 January 2003; in Integrum Techno,
http://www.integrum.com/.
[2] "Docherneye Gosudarstvennoye unitarnoye predpriyatiye 'Atomresurs',"
Predpriyatiya Moskvy po dannym MRP; in Integrum Techno,
http://www.integrum.com/. {Entered
2/3/2003 SLK}
10/23-26/2002: MINATOM
STRENGTHENS
SECURITY REGIME DURING HOSTAGE CRISIS IN MOSCOW On 23 October 2002, a group of armed Chechens took more than 700 people
hostage in Dubrovka Theater in Moscow. In response to this crisis,
Minatom
ordered a security upgrade at its civilian and military nuclear facilities
against
possible terrorist attacks and established a security task force under Deputy Minister Anatoliy Kotelnikov to supervise
its implementation.
Minatom security forces and Interior Ministry troops guarding nuclear
facilities were put on a state of high alert. Access to closed cities was
further restricted.[1] In addition, the Minatom Situation and Crisis Center
screened information from all nuclear facilities 24 hours a day for subsequent
analysis and reporting.[2] The hostage crisis was resolved in the early morning
of 26 October 2002, when Russian special forces stormed the theater using
incapacitating gas.[3] [1] "Minatom
usilil okhranu yadernykh obyektov," RIA Novosti,
http://www.rian.ru/, 25
October 2002; in Integrum Techno,
http://www.integrum.com/.
[2] Andrey Vaganov, "Atomshchiki
nacheku," Nezavisimaya gazeta online edition,
http://www.ng.ru/,
28 October 2002.
[3] Margot Buff, "Russia:
Dozens Dead as Troops Storm Theater and End Crisis," Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty,
http://www.rferl.org/, 26
October 2002. {Entered 10/30/2002 DA}
8/9/2001: MINATOM SUMMARIZES ACTIVITIES IN 2000 On 9 August 2001
Minatom published an
Internet report on nuclear activities
in Russia in 2000. The report provides sector-wide statistics for the
year, as well as major achievements in nuclear energy, nuclear fuel
production, nuclear research, exports, and international activities. According
to the report, the financial situation at nuclear-related scientific
institutions stabilized in 2000. Wages for workers in scientific institutions
increased, reaching 3549 rubles per month ($121 as of 9 August 2001) by the
end of 2000. The report also described progress on conversion of facilities
from military to civilian production. Minatom spent 811,748,000 rubles ($27.7
million) on the Conversion of the Nuclear Industry in 1998-2001
Program in 2000.
Civilian products worth 1.08 billion rubles ($36.8 million) were produced at Minatom facilities in 2000, and 2,150 jobs were created in the civilian production
sector. The report described developments in international
cooperation programs in 2000. The United States, Germany, and France continued to be Russia's main partners in MPC&A in 2000. The US
Congress allocated $236.5 million in 2000 to fund these programs. Collaboration
between the United States and Minatom in MPC&A involved
about 20 Russian enterprises. All scheduled deliveries of downblended LEU
under the
HEU-LEU
agreement were completed in 2000, and all shipments of natural uranium feed
were received.
According to Minatom's report, nuclear fuel
deliveries by Minatom
in 2000 increased by 40% in monetary terms over 1999 levels, while all
exports increased by 20%. Accelerator hardware was exported to China and South Korea, and
an agreement was signed to supply hardware to the United States over the next four
years. A major contribution to the increase in exports was collaboration
with Asian states on nuclear power plant construction, particularly at
Tianwan in China,
Bushehr in Iran, and
Koodankulam in India. Addressing
reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, Minatom reports that in 2000, 11 trainloads
of spent fuel were transferred to
PO
Mayak for reprocessing. The report also outlined a plan to reorganize
Minatom's commercial structures. The plan would combine uranium extraction,
enrichment, and fuel-producing enterprises into a new joint stock company, Rosatomprom, unifying fuel cycle activities. Rosenergoatom
would manage generation of nuclear power. OAO Rosatomstroy would be formed to
make construction in the nuclear industry more efficient.
["Itogi deyatelnosti atomnoy otrasli v 2000 godu,"
Minatom Press-Center
http://www.minatom.ru/presscenter,
9 August 2001.] {Entered 11/20/01 EC}
3/28/2001: MINISTER OF ATOMIC ENERGY ADAMOV
REPLACED On 28 March 2001 President Vladimir Putin accepted
the resignation of Minister of Atomic Energy Yevgeniy Adamov and replaced
him with Aleksandr Yuryevich Rumyantsev, director of the Kurchatov
Institute.[1,2] Although Adamov proferred his resignation,
commentators noted that among top administration officials who were replaced
on 28 March, Adamov alone was not offered a serious new post. Putin
also hinted that Adamov's voluntary resignation was tied to recent
investigations into his past.[2] Rumyantsev graduated from the Moscow
Institute of Engineering and Physics in 1969, with a degree in solid state
physics. He then became an engineer at the Kurchatov Institute, where
he rose through the ranks. He has been the director since
1994.[3] A specialist in experimental physics, he has continued to do
research and teach students while managing the affairs of the Kurchatov
Institute.[1,3] Russian environmentalists have expressed hopes that
Rumyantsev may not continue Adamov's push to legalize the import of spent
nuclear fuel.[1] However, the Kurchatov Institute supported the legal
changes under review in the Russian Duma, which would allow the import of
spent fuel.[4] The Institute has also been involved in a plan to build a
repository for temporary storage of spent fuel imported from Asia.[5]
In an interview after his appointment, Rumyantsev did not say what his
policies would be on the spent fuel imports issue. He did say that he
had spoken with Putin one week previously about his views on the future of
the Russian nuclear branch. However, he said that he would be working
on a new plan with colleagues, concentrate on maintaining growth, and
intended to "do no harm" to the industry.[6]
Sources: [1] Sergey Ivashko, "Rumyantsev
oboydetsya Rossii v $20 mlrd," Gazeta.ru electronic news, http://www.gazeta.ru/2001/03/28/rumancevoboj.shtml. [2] Mariya Arzumanova, "Putin pokazal,
chto u nego yest svoya komanda," Strana.ru electronic news, http://strana.ru/state/.../985789731.html. [3] "Biografiya novogo ministra
po atommoy energii," Strana.ru electronic news, http://www.strana.ru/stories/.../985786574.html. [4] Duma i kontrol nad vooruzheniyami,
PIR Center electronic bulletin, December 2000. [5] "Russia May Store Japanese Spent
Fuel," Nuclear Engineering International, February 1999. [6] Nina Savvina, "Ya sobirayus
ne navredit," Strana.ru electronic news, http://strana.ru/state/.../985794562.html.{Entered
3/28/2001 CC}
3/21/2001: MINATOM GIVEN
RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY OF
NUCLEAR AND RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL TRANSPORTATION The Russian government has passed a statute naming Minatom the federal
body responsible for nuclear and radiation safety
during the transportation of nuclear and radioactive materials and
manufactured goods containing these materials, reported Interfax on 21 March 2001. The statute does not apply to
the transportation of
radioactive materials between organizations under the supervision of the Ministry of
Defense, Federal Security Service and Federal Border Service.
Together with the Ministry of Internal
Affairs, Ministry of Emergencies, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Defense,
Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Transport, State Customs Committee and others, Minatom
has been charged with developing and concluding an agreement in the second half of
2001 on cooperation between organizations involved in the provision of nuclear and
radioactive safety, including physical protection, during the transportation of
nuclear and radioactive materials. ["Na
Minatom vozlozhena otvetstvennost za bezopasnost pri perevozkakh yadernykh
materiyalov i radioaktivnykh veshchestv," Interfax, 21 March 2001.] {Entered
1/7/2003 AV}
12/15/2000: RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT ADOPTS NEW
DECREE ON MC&A
The
Ministry of Atomic Energy is defined as one of the leading actors in the
sphere of nuclear MC&A. According to the decree, Minatom is charged with the
following:
- implementation of MC&A activities on
the federal level and for organizations under its supervision;
- provision of guidelines to and coordination of activities of federal agencies involved
in MC&A, development and adoption of federal MC&A norms and regulations, and oversight
of the
MC&A system as a whole.
Minatom presents annual reports on nuclear materials to the government and
maintains the State Register of nuclear materials. The State Register contains information about agencies that conduct
accounting and control activities and organizations that handle nuclear
materials. For more information on this decree, see the
12/15/2000 entry in the
General MPC&A Developments file.
11/23/2000: MINATOM CHARGED WITH
IMPROVING MPC&A At a 23
November 2000 meeting, the Russian Cabinet of Ministers charged the
Ministry of Atomic Energy with the
following tasks to improve the physical protection of installations that pose
nuclear and radiological hazards:
- analyze legislation to determine
the responsibilities of federal agencies and facility operators with regards to
physical protection of nuclear installations, nuclear and
radioactive materials, radiological devices, and storage sites;
- develop and implement automated
management systems for the transportation of nuclear materials;
- modernize material
protection systems; and
- implement countermeasures against nuclear terrorism and illicit trafficking
of nuclear and radioactive materials.
The Cabinet of Ministers
instructed the
Federal Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs,
Minatom, the
Ministry of Defense, and other
relevant agencies to propose procedures for the assessment of
external and internal threats to nuclear and radiological installations in
order to increase the level of physical protection. The Ministry of Education
was
instructed to review the development of education and training programs in
the sphere of physical protection, accounting, and control of nuclear materials.
["Novosti,"
Nuclear.ru Web Site,
http://www.nuclear.ru/news_r/2411001.htm.] {Entered 8/1/2002 NL}
10/11/2000: ADAMOV: RUSSIAN NUCLEAR INDUSTRY SHOWS
12% INCREASE IN OUTPUT Russian Atomic Energy Minister Yevgeniy Adamov told reporters
that the Russian nuclear industry's output has grown by 12% since the
beginning of 2000. The output of the nuclear defense industry has
grown by 8%.
["Russian nuclear industry shows 12% increase
in output," RIA, 11 October 2000; FBIS Document
CEP20001011000099.] {Entered 11/6/00 OC}
4/2000: MINATOM INVESTMENT PLANS
DEPEND ON TARIFF INCREASES, SPENT FUEL IMPORTS On 18 April 2000 at a meeting of the
board of the Union of Nuclear Power Engineering
Territories and Enterprises held at the Federation
Council, Deputy Minister of Atomic Energy Bulat
Nigmatulin stated that the service life of first-generation NPPs at Novovoronezh,
Kola, Leningrad and
Kursk
must be extended in order to meet increasing Russian electricity needs. He
said that the modernization of NPPs "corresponded to world practice."[1]
Minatom intends to produce 30% of Russia's power by 2005, and up to 40% by
2010.[2] However, Nigmatulin said that unless NPP electricity rates
were doubled, the NPPs would go bankrupt.[1] An increase in NPP electricity
output would require the completion of NPPs under construction. Construction
has fallen behind due to financing difficulties. However, Minatom hopes
to earn $20 billion importing foreign spent fuel for reprocessing.[2]
For more on this issue, see the 9/24/99:
Minatom Seeks Amendment Allowing Spent Fuel Imports entry in the Spent
Fuel and Radioactive Waste Developments file.
Sources: [1] "Minatom RF otstaivayet neobkhodimost
prodleniya srokov sluzhby AES pervogo pokoleniya," Interfax, 18 April 2000. [2] Yekaterina Kats, "'Yevgeniy Adamov
igrayet 'ponyatiyami'," Segodnya, 12 April 2000, http://news.mosinfo.ru/.../80-5evg.htm.{Entered
4/25/2000 CC}
4/2000: 1999 RESULTS: NUCLEAR COMPLEX EARNINGS
UP; NPPs PRODUCE 120 BILLION KWH In April 2000 Minatom announced that Russia's nuclear
complex production was worth 18 billion rubles (about $630 million as of 12
April 2000) in 1999, an increase of 23% since 1998 (in prices indexed for
inflation). Investment totalled 10.6 billion rubles (about $371 million
as of 12 April 2000). Export earnings added up to $1.9 billion, including
$74 million from NPP electricity exports. Minatom
enterprises paid the federal government $1.9 billion in 1999, which equals
one quarter of all federal revenues resulting from foreign economic dealings
for the year. The high earnings level allowed Minatom to increase salaries
by up to 2,200 rubles (about $77) per month throughout the industry.
Nuclear power generation has also been rising: Russia's NPPs produced
120 billion kWh in 1999, up 16% from 1998 levels; this is the highest production
level since 1991. Further, Minatom expects the NPPs to produce 130 billion
kWh in 2000.
[Mikhail Klasson, "Minatom otchitalsya
za proshlyy god," Vremia MN, http://news.mosinfo.ru/news/ 2000/VMN/04/data.vm041215.htm]{Entered
5/3/2000 CC}
3/31/2000: EXPANDED MINATOM COLLEGIUM EXAMINES NPP
ENERGY PRODUCTION, SAFETY During the Expanded Minatom Collegium, which Snezhinsk
(Chelyabinsk-70) hosted on 31 March 2000, President
Elect Vladimir Putin, Minister
of Atomic Energy Yevgeniy Adamov, and other specialists from Russian nuclear
research institutes discussed energy production, safety, and funding at Russia's
NPPs. (For details, see the 31
March 2000 entry in the Weapons
Facilities and Closed Cities Developments section.) During the open session
of the collegium, Putin noted that nuclear energy could become the top priority
for further development of the Russian fuel and energy complex; he cited Russia's
"unlimited" supply of natural uranium as an advantage enjoyed by Russian NPPs.[1,2]
(For more information on Russia's uranium deposits, see the Uranium
Mining and Milling Overview.) Adamov predicted that in the next five years,
Russian nuclear engineers could increase electricity exports fivefold and
electricity production by 80 percent.[3] Although Minatom has drawn up plans
to further develop nuclear power engineering, the lack of investment funds
has limited Russia's ability to implement these programs. Director of
Elektrostal's Machine Building Plant
(MSZ) Valeriy Mezhuyev reported that NPPs paid cash for less than ten percent
of the total balance due for fuel rods manufactured at MSZ; the remaining
debt was settled via barter arrangements and mutual debt offsets. Gosatomnadzor
Chairman Yuriy Vishnevskiy stated that the nuclear energy sector must undergo
modernization and security upgrades. In response to calls for the expansion
of nuclear power production, he cautioned that it would be very difficult
to increase productivity using existing equipment and retain the relatively
high safety level at the NPPs.[2]
Sources: [1] Vladislav Pisanov, "Vozmite primer
s Gazproma," Trud, 4 April 2000. [2] Larisa Aydinova, Valeriy Virkunets,
and Gennadiy Voskresenskiy, "My obrecheny razvivat yadernyy kompleks," Vek,
No. 14, 7-13 April 2000, p. 8. [3] Elena Mazanova, "Snezhinskiy forum,"
Gorodskoy kuryer online edition, http://www.sarov.nnov.ru/~courier,
6 April 2000. {Entered 7/21/00 SS}
3/31/2000: PUTIN ATTENDS
EXPANDED MINATOM COLLEGIUM SESSION IN SNEZHINSK On 31 March 2000, President-elect
Vladimir Putin visited Snezhinsk, which hosted an expanded session of
the Minatom Collegium. Deputy Prime
Minister Ilya Klebanov, Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev, Minister of Atomic
Energy Yevgeniy Adamov, Security Council Secretary Sergey Ivanov, and Unified
Energy System of Russia Chairman Anatoliy Chubais also attended the collegium.[1]
In his opening remarks, Putin stated that the work conducted at VNIITF
"is an absolute priority for the country and beyond any doubt makes it a great
power."[2] According to Putin, the importance of the nuclear weapons complex
is increasing as Russia seeks to improve the reliability of its nuclear deterrent.
He also made clear his interest in the problem of reliability and safety of
the nuclear arsenal.[5] Putin stressed the importance of Russia's nuclear
power industry and noted that a lack of cash and prevalence of barter had
taken its toll on the nuclear power industry. He stated that restructuring
and conversion of the nuclear defense complex remains a key problem for Russia.
Putin noted that conversion must be pursued "energetically and intentionally,"
in ways that do not simply protect defense workers in the closed cities, but
create alternative jobs.[5] He noted that money from state defense orders
is "often distributed irrationally and [does] not allow new breakthrough technologies
to develop."[2] Putin stated that the government has appropriated 1.5 billion
rubles ($52.4 million as of 31 March 2000).[3] Putin also noted that Minatom
should strengthen and increase its role in resolving environmental problems,
including radiation safety and the reprocessing of nuclear waste. In
response to a question regarding whether Russia would continue to restrict
access to the closed cities (ZATOs), Putin replied
that the ZATOs should be opened, but the approach must take into account fundamental
security issues. He further noted that the Minatom Collegium had discussed
the need to modernize certain elements of the nuclear weapons complex, including
the security systems in place at the ZATOs, and he added that a gradual and
consistent approach would allow Minatom to resolve issues related to opening
the ZATOs. Chair of the Association of Minatom Closed Cities and Trekhgornyy
Mayor Nikolay Lubenets asked Minatom to reinstate the ZATO tax status at all
10 closed cities. Putin spoke against the idea of granting tax privileges
to the ZATOs and criticized Lubenets's decision to spend 6 billion rubles
(approximately $232 million as of 6 April 1999) on the construction of a ski
resort near Trekhgornyy.[5] In 1999, the federal budget funded all state orders
in full and Putin stated that the government would continue to meet its budgetary
commitments. The government also expects to settle Ministry of Defense FY
1997 debts owed to Minatom by the end of FY 2000.[4]
[1] "The Atom Brooks no Delay," ITAR-TASS,
1 April 2000; in "Putin on Nuclear Arms, Atomic Energy," FBIS Document CEP20000331000186. [2] "Vystupleniye na zasedanii rasshirennoy
Kollegii Ministerstva Rossiyskoy Federatsii po atomnoy energii," 31 March
2000, President of the Russian Federation Web Site, http://president.kremlin.ru/events. [3] Oleg Osipov, RIA-Novosti, 31 March
2000; in "Putin Recalls Reasons for Snezhinsk Visit," FBIS Document CEP20000331000147. [4] "Zaklyuchitelnoye slovo na zasedanii
rasshirennoy Kollegii Ministerstva Rossiyskoy Federatsii po atomnoy energii,"
President of the Russian Federation Web Site, http://president.kremlin.ru/events. [5] Elena Mazanova, "Snezhinskiy forum,"
Gorodskoy kuryer online edition, http://www.sar.ru/~courier/14/txt/m140402.htm,
No. 148 (14), 6 April 2000. {Entered 4/26/00 SS}
3/2/2000: MINATOM RELEASES INDUSTRY FIGURES FOR
PAST TEN MONTHS On 2 March 2000, Okno published data released
by Minatom concerning economic growth, funding, social policies, personnel,
new technology and scientific developments that affected the Russian nuclear
industry. In the first half of 1999, capital within Minatom enterprises increased
by nearly 12 percent and the year's hard currency profits increased one and
a half times. Sales of low enriched uranium contributed to the increase in
hard currency earnings and were used to finance state military orders. As
of 1 October 1999, companies owed Minatom 42.9 billion rubles ($1.69 billion
as of 1 October 1999), and Minatom owed its creditors 41.9 billion rubles
($1.65 billion as of 1 October 1999). During the first half of 1999, Minatom
enterprises created 1661 new jobs. Minatom spent 278.9 billion rubles ($10.2
billion as of 31 December 2000) to create new jobs and maintain previously
existing jobs. In 1999, Minatom hired 1270 young specialists, including graduates
of technical institutes and universities. Also in 1999, Minatom continued
research related to the reprocessing, storage, and transport of spent nuclear
fuel; nuclear submarines; radioactive waste and the rehabilitation of polluted
territories; and safety procedures at nuclear power plants. In July 1999,
Minister of Atomic Energy Yevgeniy Adamov issued the decree "On the creation
of a system of financial returns of investment projects and scientific design
bureaus." Minatom approved a series of implementation measures, which included
the formation of the "Fond-M" group of nonprofit organizations.
["Minatom: Oblik otrasli," Okno,
No. 3, 2 March 2000.] {Entered 3/27/2000 SS}
10/26/99: RYABEV: MINATOM MIGHT CUT WORKFORCE
BY 40,000 On 26 October 1999, Minatom First Deputy Minister
Lev Ryabev confirmed that Minatom plans to stop assembly of nuclear munitions
at two of the Ministry's four assembly plants. (Please see the 3/25/99
item in the General Weapons
Facilities Developments file for more information.) Ryabev added that the nuclear weapons
complex must be efficient and he estimated that 40,000 workers would
be discharged as a result of conversion and restructuring efforts.
[Oleg Lebedev, RIA Novosti, 26 October
1999; in "2 Russians Plants to Stop Assembling Nuclear Ammunition," FBIS Document
FTS19991026001218.] {Entered 1/13/2000 SS}
10/1/99: MINATOM SURVEYS HOUSING AND WAGES OF YOUNG
SPECIALISTS On 1 October 1999, Atompressa published two
articles detailing the findings from a study of working conditions, housing,
and wages of specialists within the nuclear weapons complex. Minatom's
Social Policy, Industrial Relations, and Cadres Department, together with the
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Department, the Nuclear Munitions Development and Testing
Department, the Nuclear Munitions Production Department, the Nuclear Power Engineering
Department, and the Nuclear Science and Engineering Department carried out the
survey, which examined the working conditions within various enterprises subordinate
to the individual departments. Forty-five enterprises submitted lists of specialists
considered to have critical knowledge, along with their ages, spheres of activity,
and salary levels. The survey estimated that the nuclear enterprises employ
3,000 specialists who have knowledge essential to the production of nuclear
munitions, but this estimate does not include specialists working at the Federal
Nuclear Centers at VNIIEF and VNIITF.
The study also focused on the social support given to the specialists, including
access to housing, medical, and child care services, and what enterprises can
do to prevent specialists from seeking employment elsewhere. The loss of older
specialists combined with the difficult task of recruiting new specialists could
contribute to the decline of both individual enterprises and the entire nuclear
weapons complex. The study concluded that nuclear weapons specialists are paid
one-and-a-half to three times more than other industrial personnel and that
medical and childcare services were generally at an acceptable level. According
to Atompressa, most enterprises are having difficulty recruiting young
specialists and retaining older specialists because of low wages, lack of housing,
and insufficient demand for the technologies and services produced at the enterprises.
The study recommended that Minatom allocate funds to construct housing for young
specialists and that employees working in the nuclear weapons enterprises should
be allowed to defer their compulsory military service. The study also called
for broader involvement of nuclear weapons specialists in international joint
research projects, such as those financed through the International
Science and Technology Center. According to the survey's conclusions,
enterprises should use nonstate pension funds to help retired weapons specialists,
with such social support provisions being included in the enterprises' collective
contracts.[1] A second article published in Atompressa summarized
findings from a study of the hiring practices at 36 Minatom enterprises and
the ability of these enterprises to provide housing to young specialists recruited
from other cities. The enterprises submitted lists of young specialists hired
from 1995-1999, forecasts for hiring new specialists from 2000-2004, the number
of young specialists in need of housing as of 1 October 1999, planned housing
construction from 2000-2004, and the need for federal funding to finance additional
housing. Beginning in 2000, the Nuclear Munitions Development and Testing Department,
Nuclear Power Engineering Department, and the Nuclear Science and Engineering
Department plan "an appreciable increase" in the number of young specialists
hired. Enterprises have established practical training programs at seven universities
that have departments staffed by specialists from the Federal Nuclear Centers.
After graduation, these students are offered employment. Each year, these seven
universities graduate approximately 750-800 specialists; 65-70 percent of these
young specialists find employment in nuclear sector enterprises and 30 percent
of the graduates find employment in the closed city nuclear enterprises. According
to the article, it is somewhat easier for enterprises to hire those university
graduates who grew up within the closed cities because these young specialists
can live with their parents whereas specialists new to the closed cities must
stay in workers' dormitories and wait for an apartment. To attract and keep
young specialists in the nuclear sector, the housing survey recommended establishing
a housing construction program for university graduates and compiling a list
of young specialists in line for housing. According to the survey, Minatom enterprises
employ 5,000 young specialists and these enterprises reported that 2,400 young
specialists have registered for improved housing conditions.[2]
Sources: [1] A. Munistov, "A Critical Profession,"
Atompressa, No. 38, 1 October 1999, p. 1; in "Status, Problems of Atomic
Sector Workers," FBIS Document CEP19991116000004. [2] A. Voronkov, "Housing for the Young
Specialist," Atompressa, No. 38, 1 October 1999, p. 1; in "Status, Problems
of Atomic Sector Workers," FBIS Document CEP19991116000004. {Entered 1/18/2000
SS}
Nuclear Related Government Agencies
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