From Volume 38, Issue 13 of EIR Online, Published Apr. 1, 2011
Russia and the CIS News Digest

Medvedev Launches Public Criticism of Putin

March 21 (EIRNS)—Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin yesterday stated that the UN resolution on Libya "is defective and flawed. It allowed everything. It resembles calls for Crusades." Russian President Dmitri Medvedev chose to respond publicly that "under no circumstances is it acceptable to use expressions which essentially lead to a clash of civilizations, such as 'Crusade' and so on. It is unacceptable... Everyone should remember that." Medvedev added: "I do not consider the [UN] resolution wrong. On the whole, it reflects our understanding of what is happening."

Lyndon LaRouche commented that this is a curious development. Putin's comment is honest, whereas Medvedev's is opportunist. Medvedev is looking for a wedge, and took the occasion to launch his campaign against his possible rival in Russia's upcoming Presidential elections.

Russian Scientists: Abandoning Nuclear Will Kill

March 24 (EIRNS)—Russian scientists are warning that abandoning nuclear energy would be a very deadly process. Sergei Boyarkin, programs director at Russia's Rosatom state corporation, told Itar Tass March 22 that closing nuclear power plants would lead to a dramatic deterioration of the environment, far beyond the alleged pollution of C02.

Alexander Gusev, director of the Institute of Strategic Planning and Forecasting and an advocate of developing fusion power and fast reactors of the BN-800 type, is quoted by the Free Press citing U.S. figures proving that coal (which produces 26% of world energy, including 50% of electricity) is a far deadlier and more dangerous energy source than any other, with nuclear the safest. The number of fatalities per TWh (terawatt hours, or 1 billion kilowatt hours) for those working to produce different types of energy, show that 161 coal miners will die to extract enough coal for 1 TWh of energy, Gusev said, but for nuclear, the number of fatalities is just 0.04.

"While mourning for the victims of Chernobyl and Fukushima, we must not forget that every day we become victims of the current system of energy production. Toxic wastes discharged daily from the thermoelectric plants not only harm the environment—every day they get into the meals on our tables through food chains and destroy our bodies."

In the world, oil (36% of world energy) takes 36 lives, and hydropower (2.2%) about 1.4 lives per TWh. For nuclear, (5.9%), the figure is 0.04 lives per TWh.

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