Russian nuclear waste risk and Putin sabre rattling

The Norwegian environmental group Bellona reports that tanks of spent nuclear fuel in Russia's Arctic are leaking and risk setting off an uncontrolled chain reaction. Degradation of cement that encases nuclear waste tanks on the Kola peninsula has already allowed salt water to seep in. It is claimed that the salt water is mixing with radioactive rods in tanks at the Andreeva Bay facility, and could set off a chain reaction whose fall-out could spread across northern Europe in a worst-case scenario. This is a scenario stright out of the pages of Richard Rohmer's latest novel Ultimatum(http:/cardinal47reads.blogspot.com). Meanwhile Russian President Putin turns up the with the West in a little sabre rattling. In an interview with western journalists, Putin said that Russia intends to aim its missile systems at targets in Europe in retaliation for the U.S. decision to establish antimissile bases there.According to Putin, Russia sees itself being forced into this position because of the actions of the United States. In 2002, the Americans withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, and Washington has never signed the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty, designed to end the Cold War military standoff.

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