RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 204, Part I, 20 October 2000

NAVY COMMANDER WARNS 'KURSK' RECOVERY OPERATION MAY BE CALLED
OFF... Following contradictory comments by Russian officials
over the prospects for recovering at least some of the bodies
of the 118-strong crew of the sunken "Kursk" nuclear
submarine (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 19 October 2000), the Navy
commander has suggested that the recovery operation may not
take place. Admiral Vladimir Kuroedov said in a statement on
19 October that if an analysis of the situation inside the
submarine indicates that the divers will be exposed to a high
level of danger, "I, as the chief commander of the navy, will
be forced to give the order to cancel the operation,"
Interfax reported. Besides the extreme cold and darkness 100
meters beneath the water's surface, the divers would also
have to contest with "jagged metal debris floating in the
wreck," Reuters quoted experts as pointing out. JC
...AS CAPTAIN'S WIDOW RESIGNS FROM COMMISSION HELPING
VICTIMS' FAMILIES. Irina Lyachina, the widow of the captain
of the "Kursk" who perished in the August sinking of the
submarine, has resigned from a commission overseeing the
distribution of government and private funds for the families
of the victims of the tragedy. In a letter published by
"Komsomolskaya pravda" on 19 October, Lyachina said "there is
no talk about help for the 'Kursk' crew member families." She
pointed out that the commission had decided to spend 23,000
rubles ($821) on a commemorative book about the accident for
libraries and schools and 5,000 rubles on mailing "thank you"
letters to donors. According to NTV, the combined total of
government funds and private donations for the "Kursk"
victims' families is some 118 million ($4.2 million). JC

NEWSLETTER

Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 204, Part I, 20 October 2000