Russia raises alarm about nuclear waste storage in Ukraine reaching unsafe levels

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Russia raised the alarm on Friday about nuclear waste storage in Ukraine reaching unsafe levels, warning of a high chance of approximately 12 million tons of radioactive waste entering the Dnieper river and groundwater.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the "situation with dangerous nuclear waste storage in Ukraine is taking a disastrous character."

In a statement published on the ministry's website, Zakharova said the volume of nuclear waste at the Prydniprovsky Chemical Plant, located in the city of Kamianske, has reached 42 million tons.

"The plant was constructed during the Soviet era, and it is processing wastes that are presently stored in nine open-air dumping grounds containing sand-like low-radioactive residue.

"These wastes are a significant and dangerous source of environmental pollution. There is a high probability of about 12 million tons of radioactive waste entering the Dnieper (river) and groundwater as a result of possible erosion of the dam at one of the storage facilities located 800 meters from the river and its tributary Konoplyanka," Zakharova warned.

Also, she added, about 14 tons of radioactive dust is blown throughout the area every year, contaminating agricultural land.

"According to our information, Kyiv does not allocate funding to ensure the environmental safety of the facilities of the Prydniprovsky Chemical Plant, which, ultimately, can lead to an environmental disaster not only in the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime but also beyond its borders," she said.

Concerns over the plant's poor condition have been raised for many years with no response from officials.