Siberia Vulnerable to Terrorist Attacks: Security Council

The ecological situation causes much anxiety as well
Security Council Secretary Vladimir Rushailo says the Siberian federal district of Russia is poorly protected from possible terrorist attacks. He informed the president and members of the government about this when he reported the results of his trip through Siberia on May 15-24, Interfax reports.

The Security Council secretary says that protection of dangerous infrastructure of exceptional importance from natural and artificial threats and from terrorist attacks is poor in Siberia. Vladimir Rushailo says: "The crime rate is still very high, and the negative tendencies in ensuring public security are persistent."

Representatives of 36 ministries and departments, members of the Federation Council and representatives of industrial and financial groups working in the region went to Siberia with Vladimir Rushailo. They became a working group under the guidance of the Security Council secretary.

According to Vladimir Rushailo, the activity of the Siberian defense establishment and scientific centers is still problematic. Resolutions made by the Security Council concerning the problems are not being completely implemented there.

At the same time, Vladimir Rushailo says that the political and social situation in the Siberian federal district can be characterized as stable. The dynamics of industrial and agricultural production are also positive. However, the ecological situation in the region causes some anxiety, Vladimir Rushailo says. Five of the ten Russian cities with an unfavorable ecological situation are in the Siberian federal district. 

The Security Council chairman insists that it is necessary to create programs oriented toward the development of Russia's North. In addition, the tour about Siberia revealed a "considerable depreciation of the basic production assets in the region."

When Vladimir Rushailo finished the report, the RF president asked him to outline the main objectives for the government and the presidential administration. Vladimir Putin says this is important to make solving Siberia's problems more effective; the president is sure that there are many more problems in the region than Vladimir Rushailo mentioned in his report.

Photo: Vladimir Rushailo
Lenta.ru