- Sputnik International
Russia
The latest news and stories from Russia. Stay tuned for updates and breaking news on defense, politics, economy and more.

Siberian nuclear-waste plant head returns to work after amnesty

Subscribe
YEKATERINBURG, May 29 (RIA Novosti) - The head of a controversial nuclear facility in Siberia was reinstated Monday after a court closed a criminal case under an amnesty, a spokesman for the Federal Service for Nuclear Energy said.

Vitaly Sadovnikov, the general director of the Mayak plant in the Chelyabinsk Region, had been charged with breaching regulations on the disposal of hazardous waste. Prosecutors said large amounts of radioactive waste had been dumped into the Techa River during Sadovnikov's tenure with his knowledge.

But a Urals region court closed proceedings on May 11. "The case is closed under an amnesty," a court spokesman said, referring to a reprieve approved by parliament to mark the establishment of Russian first national legislature 100 years ago.

Urals Federal District prosecutors launched a criminal case on the dumping charges last year. A Chelyabinsk court stripped Sadovnikov of the immunity from prosecution he had enjoyed as a regional lawmaker and suspended him from his post March 2.

Prosecutors said Mayak pumped about 10 million cubic meters of radioactive materials into the Techa every year. Environmental group Ecodefense has put the figure as high as 15 million cu m.

UN reports said that the Chelyabinsk Region, and in particular the town of Ozersk, where the Mayak plant is located, is one of world's most radioactive areas as a result of environmental pollution by the plant for almost half a century.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала