PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, August 20. /TASS/. A spill of fuel components has occurred during the effort on unloading a missile in Kamchatka, in Russia’s Far East, the local government press service said on Thursday.
The incident took place on a military pier in the closed town of Vilyuchinsk at 6 p.m. local time (0600GMT) near the Kolan Bay, it said, citing the acting minister of special programs of the region, Sergey Khabarov.
"The localization involves the representatives of a task force and Russia’s northeast troops," he said.
Russia’s Emergencies Ministry is on alert and could join the effort if necessary, the press service said. "There are no reasons for the citizens to worry, there is no threat of radiation poisoning," the acting minister said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the emergency situation occurred when a ballistic missile without a warhead was being sent for disposal. Technical experts found "a leak of an oxidizer."
"There is no threat to the personnel, the citizens of the nearby settlements or the environmental security of the region," the ministry stressed.
A local acting minister of special programs stressed there would be no evacuation.
"There was no and will be no evacuation of citizens. There is no threat of contamination and the spread of toxic substances," Sergey Khabarov said. "The citizens have been asked to close the windows and not to leave home. I will repeat once again - there is no threat," he stressed.