Police Hunt For Suspects Who Spread Rumours Of Leningrad Incident
Written by NucNet
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
21 May (NucNet): Police in Russia are searching for people who spread
rumours about the release of radiation at Leningrad nuclear power plant
to the west of St Petersburg.
The suspects also said residents of the nearby town of Sosnovy Bor were going to be evacuated and preparations were being made to treat those who had been contaminated.
But a spokesman for the plant, which has four RBMK reactor units, said it is operating safely and efficiently. The spokesman said unit 4 had been stopped earlier this week for short-term maintenance scheduled to last until 22. Units 1, 2 and 3 are operating normally.
In 2004 a resident of Samara, Russia, posted information on the internet falsely suggesting there had been a serious accident at the nearby Balakovo nuclear plant and that a number of workers had died. In 2005 rumours spread about radiation discharges at nuclear facilities in the Russian city of Obninsk following an electricity blackout.
Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
Communicating The Lessons Learned From Balakovo (Insider No. 18, 23 November 2004)
Court To Hear Case Against Man Accused Of Balakovo Leak Rumours (News in Brief No. 32, 9 March 2005)
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