The reason is the sanctions imposed due to the war in Ukraine. Norway will no longer be part of the splice team to clean up nuclear waste in the areas close to the border. The waste is a threat to the environment in the Barents Sea and the enormous cod stock. – As a result of Norway having frozen funding for projects in northwestern Russia, Russia has informed that they will put cooperation in the nuclear commission on pause, says Per Strand, director of the Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety. He was notified at today’s meeting of the Norwegian-Russian Commission on Nuclear Safety. Strand led the Norwegian delegation. Director of Rosatom, Oleg Krjukov and State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Marit Berger Røsland when the Norwegian-Russian Atomic Security Commission met in 2017. Usually, a State Secretary from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs heads the Norwegian delegation. Today, Krukov did not want to be photographed. Photo: Arne Egil Tønset / NRK Russia: – We are on schedule So far, Norway has contributed several hundred million. – It is sad that Norway will no longer be involved in financing the projects, says Oleg Krjukov, director of Rosatom and delegation leader for Russia. He believes the work of clean-up has been successful so far. – Radioactive waste has been handled correctly, with better safety for the environment as a result. Even if Russia withdraws, the Rosatom chief promises to continue the work of clearing the infamous Andreyeva Bay. There, half of the nuclear waste has now been removed in five years, according to the Russians. – We do not want to stop, but the removal of spent fuel will take longer. It is not good, neither for us nor the neighboring countries, says Krjukov. In addition to the waste on land, there are several sunken nuclear submarines and reactors on the seabed that have caused concern. Something’s going on. – We start the projects by lifting the dumped and sunken objects, says Krjukov. Later, he rejects NRK’s question of whether Russia can afford to continue the clean-up job in the next few years: – I do not think you have correct information about the Russian economy. If you had listened to the beginning of the briefing, you would have heard that we are going to raise the Russian submarines. Per Strand reckons that the Russians will spend more time on the clearing job when they do not receive the same support as before. Photo: Christian Kråkenes / NRK Agreement on notification Both Oleg Krjukov and Per Strand emphasize that notification of any nuclear accidents is regulated in international agreements. It will not be affected by Russia putting cooperation in the Commission on ice. Strand says the countries agree to have close contact about the emergency preparedness. – Most recently last week, Russia arranged a warning exercise against Norway, in which we participated, he says. Strand will not consider whether the Russians are able to continue the job of clearing nuclear waste without financial support from other countries – but: – Russia has always financed most of it itself, he says. Fears of collapse Russia is currently building a record number of nuclear-powered submarines. The question is how they will handle fuel in the future. Thomas Nilsen is the editor of The Independent Barents Observer in Kirkenes and has followed Russia closely for several decades. Thomas Nilsen fears that the Russian state’s money will spend less on securing the environment in the northern sea areas. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / NRK – The big question and concern now, here in the border areas with Russia, is that we are witnessing a Russia in a complete economic collapse. We have reason to believe that Russia will not prioritize security and nuclear waste in the situation it is in now, as we witnessed at the end of the Soviet era. Cooperation on nuclear safety gained momentum when the Soviet Union collapsed and it became known that hundreds of nuclear submarines were equipped on the shore. Norway contributed financially to the clean-up in the first years. That time is probably over when Russia prioritizes new submarines and an unprovoked war against neighboring countries, Nilsen says. The cod in the Barents Sea is of enormous importance to both Norway and Russia, but Nilsen does not think there is any guarantee that Russia will spend money on preventing nuclear waste from leaking out. – Unfortunately, we have seen before, and perhaps we are witnessing it now again, that the Russian authorities do not prioritize environmental safety at the top.
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Russia drops nuclear cooperation, but will clean up waste and raise submarines itself – NRK Troms and Finnmark
