OREANDA-NEWS. April 21, 2008. The director of the International Center for Nuclear Safety Albert Vasilyev says that the traditional drilling technologies are not safe enough: “So as to be able to safely and economically drill the Arctic shelf all the year through, we need nuclear underwater drilling systems and Russia’s industry has all necessary technologies for this project.” “In fact, we already have such a project. It has been developed by Lasurit Central Design Bureau (Nizhniy Novgorod).”

While commenting on the results of the past international conference on the liquidation of the legacy of the Soviet nuclear fleet, Vasilyev said: “Our country has really powerful infrastructure for production and operation of nuclear fleet. It was created in the Soviet times and must be improved and applied for the development of the Arctic Region.” “Russia has unique historical chance to make a technological breakthrough in the development of the Arctic Region on the basis of its 50-year experience and with the use of its powerful fleet of nuclear submarines and icebreakers. We must use and develop rather than destroy the legacy of the Soviet nuclear fleet.”