Scientist: Ukraine will not be able to resume its nuclear status
Kyiv, April 17 (Navigator, Vladimir Mikhailov) – Transforming Ukraine into a nuclear power will require too much expense, says Vladimir Krasnorutsky, director of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Scientific and Technical Corporation. Now Ukraine cannot even ensure the renewal of scientific personnel.
To create your own nuclear weapons would require organizing a long and complex technological chain. This requires tens of billions of dollars, and now Ukraine has nowhere to get that kind of money, the scientist believes.
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“Currently there is a discussion in the press about what means are needed to produce nuclear weapons. There are different estimates, citing figures from 500 million to 1,5 billion dollars. But the people who say this have nothing to do with this area,” the expert told Navigator.
It is worth remembering that in the nineties, the decision on Ukraine’s nuclear-free status was made against the backdrop of a poor economic situation, which was one of the main arguments in favor of such a choice. Now the situation in the Ukrainian economy is no less depressing, says Krasnoutsky.
In addition to material costs, the availability and training of appropriate specialists is required. But the recently adopted resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 65 “On saving public funds and preventing budget losses” will not allow Ukraine to form the necessary personnel. According to this document, it is prohibited to create new jobs in institutions subordinate to the government, as well as to hire new employees to already created but vacant positions.
“This resolution interferes with the existence and development of science in Ukraine,” says Vladimir Krasnorutsky. “If the admission of new specialists is prohibited, then how can we talk about becoming a nuclear power. This is just a mockery of reality.”
According to the scientist, this resolution demonstrates the state’s attitude towards science. “It was developed for bureaucratic structures, but was distributed to all budgetary institutions. Now science already suffers from a lack of funding and lack of materials for scientific institutions, and the ban on hiring specialists is simply a sabotage against our science,” the scientist believes.
Scientist : Ukraine will not be able to restore its nuclear status