Location: Pavlohrad

Activities: During the Soviet days, the plant was responsible for the production of all three stages of the RS-22 [NATO designation SS-24 'Scalpel'] ICBM.  It was selected as the site for extracting solid rocket fuel from RS-22 missiles and converting it to industrial explosives, a project funded by the Cooperative Threat Reduction program.  The plant has an on-site storage facility where disassembled ICBM stages are stored pending fuel extraction and dismantlement.[1]  Fuel extraction and conversion was scheduled to begin in 2002.[2] However, due to U.S.-Belarusian disagreements on the particular method to employ in the rocket engine elimination process, as of February 2009, the facility for fuel extraction is yet to be completed, while the target date for completion of the project has reportedly been pushed back to 2011.[3]
Sources:
[1] Sergey Zgurets, "Raketnyye voyny mestnogo masshtaba," Den online edition, http://www.day.kiev.ua/, 9 December 1999.
[2] Dinau News Agency, 1 July 2000; in "Ukraine to use US Technology for Recycling Nuclear Missiles," FBIS Document CEP20000701000108. 
[3]"Ukraine, U.S. presidents to touch upon missile fuel utilization," ITAR-TASS, 27 March 2008, OSC Document CEP20080327950325. {Updated 2/23/09 AL}

Archived Pavlohrad Chemical Plant Developments

For missile dismantlement developments, please see Ukraine's Missile Chronology.

3/6/2001:  CITY COUNCIL ORDERS HALT TO OPERATIONS AT PAVLOHRAD MISSILE DISMANTLEMENT PLANTS
The Pavlohrad Mechanical and Chemical Plants have halted RT-23UTTKh [NATO designation SS-24 'Scalpel'] missile elimination activities.  The Pavlohrad City Council ordered the operations halted on 6 March 2001, citing a lack of environmental safety guarantees from the plants.  The City Council also sent a recommendation to the Cabinet of Ministers to declare Pavlohrad an environmental emergency zone and conduct an official evaluation of the situation.  Beginning in December 2000, various local organizations announced intentions to organize a referendum prohibiting project implementation.[1]  Local branches of the Green Party and Rukh are against the dismantlement project and claim that it will be harmful to the environment.  Citing a lack of funds, however, the city turned the issue over to the local council without a referendum.  Pavlohrad Chemical Plant Technical Director Yevhen Ustymenko stated that there have been no negative environmental effects related to the plant's operation, and that the shutdown will have detrimental effects on the local economy.  US and Ukrainian health, military, and environmental experts are expected to provide assessments to guarantee that the project is environmentally safe.[2] 
Sources: 
[1] "Sessiya gorsoveta Pavlograda reshila priostanovit realizatsiyu programmy likvidatsii strategicheskikh raket SS-24 v gorode," UNIAN, No. 10, 6 March 2001. 
[2] Television UT2, 17 March 2001; in "Ukraine:  Recycling of missiles halted under pressure from centrist parties," FBIS Document CEP20010318000048. {Entered 4/23/01 RG}
 
10/4/2000:  UKRAINE TO RECEIVE US FUNDS FOR PILOT FUEL CONVERSION
On 4 October 2000, Interfax reported that the US Congress had approved $24 million for construction of a pilot solid rocket fuel conversion plant at the Pavlohrad Chemical Plant.  For more information see the 10/4/2000 entry in the Ukraine Missile/Silo Dismantlement Section.
{Entered 11/29/2000 RG}
 
7/1/2000: PAVLOHRAD TO COMMENCE SS-24 ELIMINATION IN 2002
For more information see the 7/1/2000 entry in the Ukraine Missile/Silo Dismantlement Section.

11/95: PAVLOHRAD PLANT WILL USE CTR FUNDS
CTR Strategic Nuclear Arms Elimination funds ($1 million) will be used to help the Pavlohrad Plant as it studies technologies to dismantle SS-24 missile motors and recover valuable materials to recycle for peaceful uses. The Global Environmental Solutions Company in Utah will also work on this project.
["Environmental Work," Jane's Defense Contracts, 11/95, p. 11-12.]

	Updated February 2009