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Russia maintains time for launching last chemical disposal facility in Udmurtia

First start-up facility to be put into operation in December

KIZNER, Udmurtia, June 19 (Itar-Tass) - Russia maintains the time for launching the Kizner chemical disposal facility in Udmurtia, officials in the group for the work with the Kizner public told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

All milestone dates are maintained, the official said. “The construction and assembly works are being done under schedule. The commissioning will be started in September. In December the first start-up facility is planning to be put into operation. Toxic substances are begun to be disposed of,” the official said.

Under the federal targeted programme for disposing of chemical weapons in Russia, the second start-up facility should be launched in Kizner in 2014. The Russian programme is entering its final stage.

The Kizner facility is the last Russian chemical disposal facility. A total of 2.180 million of ammunition for bombardment and rocket artillery are being stored. Six facilities are put into operation - in the settlement of Gorny (Saratov Region), in Kambarka (Udmurtia), Leonidovka (Penza Region), Maradykovsky (Kirov Region), Shchuchye (Kurgan Region) and Pochel (Bryansk Region).

Russia has disposed of weapons of mass destruction in four stages. The first stage was over in the settlement of Gorny, Saratov Region, on April 29, 2003. A total of 400 tonnes of ammunition was disposed of. The second stage was completed till April 2007 and disposed of 8,000 tonnes. The third stage (18,000 tonnes) was finished on November 25, 2009.

At present, the fourth stage of the programme is ending. Special attention is riveted to the Kizner facility.

As of the end of 2012 Russia disposed of 28,000 tonnes of chemical weapons. Earlier, Industry and Trade Minister Georgy Kalamanov told Itar-Tass that Russia would dispose of 80 percent of chemical warfare agents by the yearend.