Paul Goble
Staunton,
December 21 – A dangerous and absurd situation has arisen in Moscow: in pursuit
of profit, Russian developers are ignoring the interests of the state and the
security of those who may purchase the apartments in new buildings they plan
for adjacent to the Kurchatov Institute, Russia’s oldest nuclear institute and
one with seven reactors still operating.
And
these developers, working hand in glove with local and federal officials, have
even suggested that the institute be closed so that they can go ahead with
their plans, local activists say (activatica.org/blogs/view/id/6042/title/predstavitel-rostehnadzora-prigrozil-priostanovkoy-deyatelnosti-kurchatovskomu-institutu).
Pro-construction officials at a
meeting earlier this week called on the Kurchatov to carry out inspections to
ensure that it is sufficiently safe for the residents of the proposed high-rise
buildings. Mikhail Moryev, a
Rostekhnadzor inspector, said that “if it doesn’t satisfy us, the Kurchatov
Institute will be compelled to stop its activities.”
Academician Yevgeny Velikhov,
the honorary president of the Kurchatov which recently marked its 75th
anniversary, said that officials shouldn’t be focusing on his institute but on the
mistake of allowing developers to throw up housing which “completely ignores
the threats which exist in being next to such a complex, strategically important
object.”
Nearby residents also object: the
new buildings will make the defense of the institute against terrorist attacks
far more difficult and thus “lower the anti-terrorist defense capability of
Moscow.” Moreover, shutting down even
for a time the institute would undermine Russia’s national security.
Liliya Kadashova of the Activata
portal says that “it is sad that in Moscow in recent years the interests of the
construction business in the capital have become more important than the
strategic interests of the state in science and the security of people living
there.” That must be fought.
Unfortunately, at present, it looks
as if the developers may be winning this battle.
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