Russia Nuclear Chronology
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Russia Nuclear Chronology 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 2002 | 2001-2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997-1993 Last update: July 2010 This annotated chronology is based on the data sources that follow each entry. Public sources often provide conflicting information on classified military programs. In some cases we are unable to resolve these discrepancies, in others we have deliberately refrained from doing so to highlight the potential influence of false or misleading information as it appeared over time. In many cases, we are unable to independently verify claims. Hence in reviewing this chronology, readers should take into account the credibility of the sources employed here. Inclusion in this chronology does not necessarily indicate that a particular development is of direct or indirect proliferation significance. Some entries provide international or domestic context for technological development and national policymaking. Moreover, some entries may refer to developments with positive consequences for nonproliferation 2010 10 January 2010 UNIT OF VOLGODONSK POWER PLANT UNDERGOES EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN The first power unit of the Volgodonsk nuclear power plant in south Russia was shut down by an emergency protection system. Problems with a steam generator were the likely cause of the protection system activation. Rosenergoatom reported a normal level of background radiation at the plant. The Volgodonsk power plant began operating in 2001. It is situated some 1,000 km (621 miles) south of Moscow and has a single pressurized water reactor. —"Radiation Level Normal at Volgodonsk NPP After Emergency Shutdown," RIA Novosti, 1 January 2010, http://en.rian.ru; "Volgodonsk NPP Shuts Down First Power Unit in Emergency Mode," RIA Novosti, 1 January 2010, http://en.rian.ru. 11 January 2010 RUSSIA TO FINANCE NUCLEAR SPACE PROJECTS The Russian government earmarked up to 17 million USD for research on spacecraft powered by nuclear propulsion. Most of the funds (approximately 14 million USD) will go to the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, and the rest to the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos. Roscosmos's head, Anatoly Perminov, said that research in this promising field will begin later this year and that nuclear-powered spacecraft are necessary for inter-planetary flights. Other nuclear space projects include a space-based nuclear power station and a nuclear- powered space tug. —"Russia Earmarks $17 mln to Research Nuclear-Propelled Spacecraft," RIA Novosti, 11 January 2010, http://en.rian.ru; "Russia Toys with Exotic Nuclear Space Projects," RIA Novosti, 27 January 2010, http://en.rian.ru. 12 January 2010 RUSSIA'S NEW NUCLEAR ATTACK SUBMARINE NERPA NEEDS FINE TUNING Related content is available on the website for the Nuclear Threat Initiative, www.nti.org. This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, or agents. Copyright © 2011 by MIIS. Russia's Ministry of Defense announced that its nuclear attack submarine Nerpa, which entered service with the Navy's Pacific Fleet in late 2009, will undergo additional adjustments in February. The submarine was put into service despite a fatal accident during its sea trials in November 2008 when the onboard fire suppression system activated, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed in the accident. Following repairs, which cost an estimated 1.9 billion rubles (about 65 million USD), the submarine was cleared for final sea trials. The 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa is an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarines, which are considered the quietest and deadliest of all Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines. —"Russia's Nerpa Nuclear Sub to Be 'Fine-Tuned' Next Month," RIA Novosti, 12 January 2010, http://en.rian.ru. 12 January 2010 BULAVA'S LATEST TEST FAILURE IS BLAMED ON DESIGN FLAW Russian defense industry officials admitted for the first time that the poor track record of Bulava's test launches could be attributed to the flawed design of the submarine-launched ballistic missile. An investigation carried out after the failed December 2009 test launch found a design flaw in the device that controls the separation of the missile's third stage. A defense industry source says that more test launches are planned for 2010 and the approach to testing may be drastically changed. —"Design Flaw Caused Latest Test Failure of Bulava Missile - Source," RIA Novosti, 12 January2010, http://en.rian.ru; "Russian to Continue Launching Ill-Fated Bulava Missiles in 2010," RIA Novosti, 12 January 2010, http://en.rian.ru. 20 January 2010 RUSSIAN BOMBERS PERFORM PATROL FLIGHT OVER THE ARCTIC Two Russian Tu-95MS (Bear) strategic bombers carried out a routine patrol flight over the Arctic Ocean. Six NATO aircraft - four fighter planes from the Norwegian Air Force and two strategic bombers from the British Air Force - shadowed the Russian bombers during their flight. —"Russian Bombers Complete Arctic Patrol Mission," RIA Novosti, 20 January 2010, http://en.rian.ru. 21 January 2010 RUSSIAN BOMBERS FLY OVER PACIFIC Russia's Ministry of Defense stated that two Tu-95MS (Bear) strategic bombers carried out a routine patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean. The bombers spent about 20 hours in the air practicing instrumental guidance flights over neutral waters and in-flight refueling. Russia resumed strategic bomber patrol flights over the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans in August 2007, following an order from then-President Vladimir Putin. —"Russian Bombers Fly Patrols Over Pacific," RIA Novosti, 21 January 2010, http://en.rian.ru. 26 January 2010 NATO, RUSSIA AGREE ON MILITARY COOPERATION FRAMEWORK Russian and NATO chiefs of staff approve the framework for military cooperation. Top military officials from both sides met in Brussels, formally resuming the work of the Russia-NATO Council. The cooperation plan for 2010 reportedly includes Russia's support for the U.S.-led military operation in Afghanistan, military transit via Russian airspace, as well as joint anti-piracy and antiterrorism efforts. Also, in December, following creation of the NATO- Russia working group on missile defense, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed hope that the alliance and Russia would establish a joint missile defense system by 2020. —"Agreement Reached on NATO-Russia Military Cooperation," North Atlantic Treaty Organization, 26 January 2010, www.nato.int; "NATO, Russia Agree Military Cooperation Framework," RIA Novosti, 26 January 2010, http://en.rian.ru; "Russia, NATO Resume Military Cooperation," RIA Novosti, 26 January 2010, http://en.rian.ru; Related content is available on the website for the Nuclear Threat Initiative, www.nti.org. This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, or agents. Copyright © 2011 by MIIS. "NATO Chief Expects Joint Missile Defense with Russia by 2020," RIA Novosti, 17 December 2009, http://en.rian.ru; "Russia, NATO Form Working Group on Missile Defense - Rogozin," RIA Novosti, 5 December 2009, http://en.rian.ru. 1 February 2010 RUSSIA RECEIVES 650 TONS OF NUCLEAR WASTE The French nuclear energy group Areva sent 650 metric tons of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) to St. Petersburg. The cargo is to be transported to the Siberian Chemical Combine in the Tomsk region. Areva and Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom have a contract for storing French uranium waste in Russia. Rosatom plans to start using a storage facility for exported nuclear waste at Ust-Luga on the shores of the Baltic Sea. According to international standards, uranium hexafluoride is not considered nuclear waste, and can be transformed into fuel to release energy for nuclear power stations. —"Ship Carrying Nuclear Waste Arrives in St. Petersburg," RIA Novosti, 1 February 2010, http://en.rian.ru. 5 February 2010 RUSSIA UPDATES MILITARY DOCTRINE Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev signed the new Military Doctrine and "The Foundations of State Policy in the Area of Nuclear Deterrence until 2020." Like the earlier document, the new doctrine assigns the use of nuclear weapons to regional and large-scale wars, and reserves the right to use nuclear weapons not only in response to a nuclear attack or an attack with other WMD but also in response to a conventional attack. At the same time, the new doctrine somewhat reduces the role of nuclear weapons in Russia's national security policy. For example, the 2010 document allows the use of nuclear weapons when "the very existence of [Russia] is under threat." In the 2000 document, the language reserves the role of nuclear weapons in situations critical to national security. In addition, the doctrine assigns high-precision weapons to strategic deterrence, which imitates the U.S. trajectory. Overall, the 2010 doctrine devotes less attention to the nuclear component of the military than before. —Nikolai Sokov, "The New, 2010 Russian Military Doctrine: The Nuclear Angle," James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, 5 February 2010, http://cns.miis.edu; Mikhail Tsypkin, "What's New In Russia's New Military Doctrine?" Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 27 February 2010, www.rferl.org; "Voennaya Doctrina Rossiyskoy Federatsii" (in Russian), Kremlin.ru, 5 February 2010, http://kremlin.ru. 8 February 2010 RUSSIA IS BUILDING ANOTHER BOREY-CLASS NUCLEAR SUBMARINE Russia began construction on a fourth Borey-class strategic nuclear-powered submarine designed to carry the Bulava missile. Construction of the Project 955 Svyatitel Nikolai (St. Nicholas) submarine at the Sevmash shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk was delayed from December 2009 until the first quarter of 2010. Of the three other Borey-class submarines - the Yury Dolgoruky - is currently undergoing sea trials.