Russia has postponed a nuclear waste disposal agreement with Ukraine because the latter has been unable to make payments, according to the Russian state-owned news agency TASS.
The agency made the announcement Monday, saying that Ukraine has seen about $7.95 billion seized from the company, Energoatom, the largest energy provider in the country. Ukraine signed a nuclear fuel reprocessing agreement with Russia in 1993.
“There are problems related to Ukraine’s payments,” said Oleg Kryukov, director for public policy on radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel and nuclear decommissioning for Russian state-owned energy company, Rosatom. “The first run has been postponed as the Russian side has not received advance payment for the disposal stipulated in the contract.”
Kryukov added that Russia plans to honor the agreement, though they are waiting to see how Ukraine will settle the matter.
