Valery Menshikov, the co-manager of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Program of Center for Ecological Policy of Russia-International Social-Ecological Union

– All of our nuclear power plants operated normally

Last weekend some sources alleged in the internet and by means of SMS that there had been accidents at some of the Russian nuclear power plants, particularly, at Kursk, Novovoronezh, Balakovo and Volgodonsk NPPs. The Information and PR Center of Energoatom Concern and the regional departments of the Emergency Ministry of Russia have refuted this information.

I have reliable information saying that all of our nuclear power plants operated normally. The dispatching controller detected no single event. So, it is absolutely vague to me who might spread this panic. I think that it was either absolutely incompetent people or people wishing to motivate fear in our hard times.

I can’t say who this might be. I don’t think that it was an opposition force: normal parliamentary oppositionists always use verified information or they may lose their influence. I can’t even imagine who might spend so much money on sending SMS.
 
I have a report on the radiation situation on June 8. Everything was within norm. The results of the monitoring of the fire, seismic and flood situations are also favorable. Yesterday, some sources spread allegations about a radioactive emission at the Institute of High Energy Physics. I think that the police must do something about it or we may face a panic we will hardly be able to cope with.

Each day I receive reports from the Crisis Center. There is also www.russianatom.ru, a web-site presenting online information about the radiation situation at our nuclear power plants. It is a state-owned highly responsible site and I trust its information. I would have been informed without fail had there actually been something wrong. So, I would like to say once again that nothing happened. It was just an allegation.

It would be a crime on my part to hush up such information. Our Constitution says that the information concerning human health and emergency situations is open for all citizens of Russia. Had I concealed something I would have broken the law. We must try to change the mentality of our people: they must understand that spreading of such information is a crime. It is hard to change the mentality of the people who say: “23 years ago they told lies about Chernobyl.” They must understand that it was quite different situation and different state.