Russia Destroys 10,500 Tonnes of Chemical Weapons

Text of report by corporate-owned Russian military news agency Interfax-AVN website

Moscow, 3 June: During the third stage of the chemical weapons destruction programme, Russia has destroyed 10,500 tonnes of toxic substances, the head of the federal directorate for safe storage and destruction of chemical weapons, Valeriy Kapashin, has told journalists on Tuesday [3 June].

"As of now, we have destroyed 10,500 tonnes of toxic substances," he said.

By the end of 2009 Russia should recycle and destroy 18,000 tonnes of toxic substances, or more than 40 per cent of its stock of chemical weapons.

According to Kapashin, the second stage of the project to build facilities in the settlement of Maradykovskiy in Kirov Region to destroy sarin is nearing completion. In addition, a facility in the settlement of Leonidovka in Penza Region intended to deactivate VX gas will be accepted on 16 June.

"We have no doubts that once the two facilities are launched, we will fully fulfil Russia’s obligations under the third stage [of the programme]," Kapashin stressed.

He noted, however, that during the destruction of toxic substances in the settlement of Maradykovskiy it would be necessary to destroy not only toxic substances but also reaction masses accumulated in the process. "But we will destroy them in due time", Kapashin added.

There were problems with a facility in the town of Shchuchye in Kurgan Region that was being built by a US contractor, he said. "However, we are happy that we took over and corrected the situation at the facility", Kapashin said, noting that the facility would be launched in December 2008 as planned.

He added that the construction of a chemical weapons processing plant in the town of Pochep in Bryansk Region was proceeding on schedule. The facility should be accepted in December 2009. "On 10 June I will go there with a high-ranking German official to check on the progress of the construction", Kapashin said.

He noted that the destruction of chemical weapons in Russia was being carried out using a unique two-stage technology. Detoxification of toxic substances at the first stage is followed by the destruction of reaction masses accumulated during the detoxification.

Kapashin added that upgraded equipment for the destruction of chemical weapons to be used in the settlement of Leonidovka would carry out the detoxification in a safer manner than it was done at other Russian chemical weapons destruction facilities.

In addition, he said that Switzerland allocated 65m euro to Russia to build a power substation for the chemical weapons destruction plant in Leonidovka.

After the fulfilment of Russia’s obligations to destroy stockpiles of toxic substances, employees of chemical weapons destruction facilities will not be left unemployed, Kapashin said, noting that the facilities would be able to switch to the production of other products. "Three years prior to the completion of each facility’s work, a plan will be drawn up on ways to use the facility in the future. The nature of operation of the facility will be determined by the municipal authorities", he said. The Leonidovka facility already has five proposals, Kapashin added.

After the fulfilment of Russia’s obligations in the period of up to 2016-2018, a programme will be carried out to dismantle the equipment directly involved in the destruction of chemical weapons and to decontaminate soil and facilities, he said.

Kapashin noted that problems with switching to the production of other products were expected only in Kurgan Region where the plant was located very far from town of Shchuchye. "I think maintaining and using this facility will be problematic", he said.

Originally published by Interfax-AVN military news agency website, Moscow, in Russian 0725 3 Jun 08.

(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.