The following text contains Russian technical experts' answers to the Norwegian Bellona environmental organisation's questions regarding safety instructions for the Kursk lift operation.

       

        Q: The Safety Certificate for the technical project to surface the Kursk does not take into account the majority of the dangerous aspects of the ship-raising operation in the Barents Sea.

        A: It is absolutely impossible to agree with such a statement since a large number of highly-skilled organisations that participated in drawing up the certificate examined and gave recommendations for even highly-improbable situations related to the safety of the operation.

        Q: According to the table of arms, the submarine had 24 torpedoes on board. Out of this number, 22 had live warheads (20 torpedoes of 53 cm calibre, 2 – 65 cm calibre) and two practice torpedoes (i.e., with dummy warheads). New detonations could damage both the submarine’s hull, excluding further lifting, as well as the nuclear power plant. The certificate says nothing about assessing the consequences should such a contingency arise. Neither does it say anything about measures to be taken should such an explosion occur.

        A: Torpedo explosion-proof tests were carried out in Russia at a special proving ground in conditions similar to the situation in the first compartment of the Kursk. As a result of a single detonation of a torpedo, all the adjacent torpedoes either exploded or were greatly damaged.

        Underwater, the wrecked warhead elements were subjected to various mechanical actions, including being dragged on the seabed, but this did not result in detonation processes.

        One must bear in mind that the Kursk experienced multiple detonations. This gives us even greater confidence that there are no live warheads aboard the submarine. But in spite of that, the certificate recommends to use unmanned technologies for working inside the mangled 1st compartment.

        Besides that, on the basis of studies that were made, we declare that even if a torpedo detonates, this will not result in any dangerous changes in the condition of the nuclear reactors and missile weapons.

        Q: The nuclear power plant is a potentially nuclear-dangerous installation whereas all the calculations in the documents do not take into account that the plant has already been subjected to dynamic impacts as a result of the explosions that sank the Kursk. The certificate does not contain a plan of measures to be taken in the event of contingencies with the nuclear power plant.

        A: Concerning the nuclear reactors, we reaffirm that they have been reliably shut down. Moreover, the rigid fixation of the control units guarantees the safety of the reactors even in the most extreme spatial changes. This is written in the certificate.

        Q: There are no documents founding the safe storage of the Kursk in the dock of ship repair yards-82 in Roslyakovo. Neither is there a plan for further utilisation of the submarine in Snezhnogorsk.

        A: A project for utilising the Kursk is currently being worked out and its content will be made public. At present, there is complete clarity as to what concerns the entire process of utilisation. Specific technologies and recommendations for safe performance of the work will be presented in the project.

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