Russia scraps 145 out of 197 decommissioned nuclear submarines

Russia has dismantled 145 out of 197 decommissioned Soviet-era nuclear submarines, the head of the Federal Agency for Nuclear Power said Tuesday.

Russia has signed cooperation agreements on the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines with the United States, Britain, Canada, Japan, Italy and Norway. The disposal program will cost an overall $2 billion, toward which Russia had allocated $850 million as of 2005.

"We have a joint nuclear submarine dismantlement program that involves a number of countries, including EU members," Sergei Kiriyenko said. "Out of 195 nuclear submarines decommissioned from the Russian Navy, we have dismantled 145."

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