Yuri Raptanov, Chairman of Supreme Council of Podorozhnik All-Russian Public Ecological Organization

– It was cruel and even criminal act

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 think that it was one more action of the Greens, who seek to keep up people’s fear of radiation. And they act quite competently: they say that they care for the safety of people. But their real goal is to keep alive the fear of radiation and to kill in the bud the improving public attitude towards nuclear energy. This is cruel and even criminal. In my opinion ecology is a science about comfortable and safe living. Its key goal is to prolong people’s lives due to the use of high technologies.
 
By acting like that the Greens reduce people’s lives and boost their stresses and morbidity. In the last 40 years the Greens have transformed from a force protecting the environment into a reactionary movement. Now that they have nothing serious to do, they have focused on their own selves, have got politicized and try to keep up their own stability by going to such extremities. Nuclear energy is their main target. In Russia this is not only extremism but a form of competitive struggle. But even if we yield to the efforts of the Greens, we will not live in a green and clean world — and quickly die because of panic-stricken nerves – as even if we give up nuclear energy and start using gas or some other sources, the emission of CO2 will not decrease. Due to such actions we will live not only less but worse.

I would like to say once again that this is a form of competitive struggle – so-called green bat. This is our fee for the active position of our country on the international nuclear market. I can’t claim that such actions are organized by our immediate rivals on the market. This may just be political or economic confrontation. We are leaders in the energy sector and somebody may dislike it.

We must combat such actions at all levels through Rosatom, mass media and NGOs.