Spent rocket propellant is dangerous for Kaliningrad and its neighbors

The removal of spent rocket propellant from Kaliningrad is not only Russia’s problem, it also concerns Lithuania, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov reported at a press-conference in the Kaliningrad region yesterday. Sergey Ivanov also mentioned that when Soviet troops had been withdrawn from Europe in 1994-1995, components of spent rocket propellant were delivered to Kaliningrad.

Sergey Ivanov also mentioned that, when Soviet troops had been withdrawn from Europe in 1994-1995, components of spent rocket propellant were delivered to Kaliningrad. This fuel is to be necessarily sent to Russia for a safe burial.

This can be done with special railway cars to guarantee the ecological safety of the transportation, the RF Defense Minister says. Unfortunately, Lithuania does not authorize transit via its territory, although it is not clear why. There is no sense in creating such difficulties, because the only way to remove spent rocket propellant from Kaliningrad is via Lithuania, there is no other way around it. At the same time, further storage of the spent fuel in Kaliningrad poses a great danger not only for the city, but for its neighbors as well.

Artyom Verzhinovsky PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/north-west/2002/07/30/44876.html

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