Russian Nuclear Elite Killed in Plane Crash

June 21 (EIRNS)—Sergei Ryzhov, the chief designer of the light-water VVER nuclear reactors which Russia has built in many nations, was among those killed in a plane crash in Karelia, Russia the night of June 20-21. Karelia is in northeastern Russia, bordering Finland. VVER reactors are the ones being built at the Russian-Indian nuclear project in Kudankulam, India.

The 44 dead in the crash included three leading officials of Russia's main nuclear reactor design company Gidropress, which is a subsidiary of the Russian federal nuclear agency, Rosatom.

Staff members of three nuclear companies were killed, reports Novosti, citing a source at Rosatom: Gidropress design bureau; Afrikantov design bureau; and Atomenergomash.

Gidropress lost essentially its entire leadership: general director Sergei Ryzhov, chief designer Nikolai Trunov, deputy director Nikolai Banyuk. From the other companies: chief technological specialist of the Afrikantov DB Andrei Trofimov; and department head from Atomenergomash, Valeri Lyalin. There were 8 survivors of the crash, including children.

The nuclear designers were going to inspect a local plant in Petrozavodsk, Karelia.