Disarmament Diplomacy

Issue No. 10, November 1996

US-commissioned report by Russia nuclear scientists

According to a Washington Post report of 27 October, in 1992 the US government commissioned Russian nuclear scientists to write a report on Russia's nuclear testing programme. The Post claimed that the Defense Department's Defense Special Weapons Agency paid $288,000 to 200 scientists. A 2,000 page account of the programme resulted, reportedly concerned with the health and environmental impact of the tests, rather than their military purpose.

The most senior Russian scientist involved was Alexander Chernysov, Deputy Scientific Director at the Arzamas-16 nuclear weapons laboratory. The report is said to have had the blessing of Russia's Atomic Energy Ministry.

Report: Russians wrote nuclear weapons study for US - report, Agence France-Presse International News, 27 October.

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