Russia’s Sub-Standard Disposal of Reactors

By Vladimir Isachenkov

The Associated Press

MOSCOW - Once a Cold War instrument of doomsday, the huge aging fleet of Soviet-built nuclear submarines now poses a threat of radioactive leaks. And Russia’s one-time foe, NATO, is now helping assess the threat.

Of Russia’s 156 mothballed nuclear submarines, only 16 have been properly dismantled, while the rest are rusting away in Arctic and Far Eastern harbours, posing a threat to the environment.

Most are likely to stay there for decades, as cash-strapped Russia is capable of dismantling only five or six vessels a year, while their number rapidly increases.

«When we were building up our nuclear potential, no one thought about the need to dispose of the waste some day», said Ashot Sarkisov, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. «It’s a lesson for the future - before building something nuclear, we must first think what to do with it later.»

Sarkisov co-chaired a seminar on submarine-dismantling technologies and the ensuing risks, organized with NATO’s help and attended by several dozen Russian and Western experts this week in Moscow.

«Scientists, who used to devote their resources to defense, now should devote their efforts to peaceful purposes,» said Nancy Schulte, an official with NATO’s Disarmament Technologies, Scientific and Environmental Affairs Division.

Decommissioning nuclear submarines is a complex problem also faced by the United States and other nations. But it is Russia that has the largest number of subs going under the knife and is plagued by severe fund shortages.

«Our economy is ill,» Sarkisov said, «And our leaders clearly downplay the potential danger.»

Until 1990, the Soviet navy routinely dumped radioactive waste in the Arctic waters, and the Russian navy continued the practice in the Far East until Japan agreed to assist in a waste disposal project.

Other nations also have promised to help.

Norway, cautious about possible damage to its fishing industries, has promised to earmark $35 million to assist in the cleanup of the Russian navy’s northern bases. The United States is helping to build a waste disposal plant in Murmansk.

Still, the government cannot afford to build Western-type facilities for storing submarine nuclear reactors.

As a result, over 60 percent of the mothballed submarines still have fuel in their reactors, making them particularly prone to accident.

«Such a submarine may leak radioactivity and its reactor may spin out of control, leading to an uncontrolled chain reaction,» Sarkisov said.

Highlighting possible hazards, a decommissioned nuclear submarine sank last May on the Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula after having collided with another vessel while being moved.

«The main danger would be some sort of accident like a fire, an explosion in one of the facilities that has a lot of radioactivity stored,» said Leo Gay Le Sage, a researcher with U.S. Argonne National Laboratory who took part in the seminar. (The St. Petersburg Times)

to earmark - to set aside money

hazard – danger

2.3. Feature Stories

While straight news stories give a straightforward account of an event, involving our reason and logic, features inform or entertain us by engaging our feelings. Journalism students are taught that «the feature can be as light and fluffy as a cream puff, or as solid and substantial as a rib roast.»

Another distinctive characteristics of the feature is its style which can be described as informal, simple and relaxed. In features people do things, talk and interact with each other. Thus, features contain numerous incidents, details, quotes and realistic dialogues, as well as verbs which are quite often in the present tense to give the reader a sense of being present at the scene. All these quotes, facts and anecdotes are supposed to illustrate the main theme which is always the spine of the story.

The structure of the feature depends on whether the writer chooses to get to the point immediately or to hold the reader in suspense.

Thus, the first option is for the lead to be in the first or second paragraph with anecdotes, quotes and examples to follow and support the lead. In the ending we see a reminder of the lead through summary or an example, anecdote or quote.

The second option is a delayed lead. Delayed leads are preferred in the features. The story starts with anecdotes, examples, quotes related to the lead for several paragraphs with the lead to follow. Then come additional anecdotes, examples and quotes and an appropriate ending.

There is another option when the lead appears in the very end in the form of a kicker or a punch - a good quote, a significant anecdote or incident relevant to the main theme.

The news can also be presented in the form of the news feature which emphasizes human interest and drama using structural elements of the feature.

Assignment 7.

Read the following story dealing with the event of 50 years old and try to identify its type (straight news story, feature, news feature).