April 04, 2011

Crimea's Black Sea Chemical Weapon Time Bomb

Approximately 1,200 barrels of chemical weapons were dumped in various locations off Crimea’s Black Sea coast by the Soviet Union as the invading Nazi army approached, according to an article published 09 February 2011 at VIKNO.EU. In a video-taped presentation, specialist Gennady Rubtsov estimated the metal barrels have an undersea life of 70 years. They were dumped in the sea in 1941. And so according to the math, time’s up. One of the five chemical weapons listed, sarin, a nerve weapon, can kill a person in about two minutes. Regarding the radius of potential impact, Rubtsov estimates there’s a 40 kilometer impact zone for one barrel.


The authorities in both Crimea and the nation's capital have downplayed any dangers on TV news, saying either they don't believe the scientific reports or there is no serious risk. However,  according to tests at the Voenkonveer 43 laboratory in Kharkov, arsenic levels in water near the Swallows Nest tourist site are more than 100 times greater than normal. This is one of the 11 known locations where the chemicals were dumped, many near popular swimming beaches. Though the story has been featured early 2011 on a major news station, MTB News of Moscow, most people in Crimea have not heard of the situation. A member of the Ukraine Parliament noted during the MTB news interview that there is presently technology to seal the chemicals in barrels that will last up to 700 years, but no one seems to want to take responsibility for the reclamation process and for now the plan seems to keep the problem a secret so tourists aren’t frightened away.






The following is a translation from Russian :

Simferopol, 08 February  (New Region - Crimea, Anna Akhmetov) - Chemical weapons on the bottom Black Sea could completely disrupt the holiday season in Crimea . Chemicals dumped during the war in drums include lewisite, mustard gas, sarin and zaman and could leak at any moment.

News Source Novi Kanal (New Channel ) stated 1,200 metal barrels with chemical warfare agents lie along the entire coast of the Crimea. They were hastily scuttled in 1941 before the encroaching Nazi troops arrived. The contents of one container are enough to destroy all life within a radius of 40 kilometers.

Commissioned by the Ministry of Ecology of Ukraine, the environmental enterprise "Sitall" was hired to establish the whereabouts of 500 barrels and has identified 11 districts with the contaminated material. By 2010 the expected lifespan and integrity of the containers had expired.

"It is theoretically possible that in 2011 there will be breaches in these containers,” stated the director of Sitall, Gennady Rubtsov.

The fact is, the barrels have already leaked, investigations indicated in the closed Kharkov Research Laboratory Voenkonveer 43 . Near the calling card of Crimea - the "Swallow's Nest " 24 barrels were dumped and the arsenic content in water is greater than the average rate by more than 100 times. This means that the mustard gas and lewisite, is likely to have leaked into the sea water.

"I do not see a big problem with that” said Sitall "I have no such information.” - said the channel Deputy Prime Psarjov. – “ I do not believe the data that you offer from the Kharkov Institute.”

In the MOE (Ministry of Emergencies )report about the threat of chemicals, the director of the Department of Civil Defence Emergency Basil Kvashuk confirmed that the problem does exist.

"I'd rather not talk about it on television and brow-beat the inhabitants of the city of Sevastopol and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. The problem really exists; we know where those tanks are. "- assured Kvashuk.

Apart from the fact that the whereabouts of 700 barrels at the bottom of the Black Sea have yet to established, the Azov Sea is known to have 360 containers of sarin and Zaman flooded by order of Khrushchev in 1956. According to Sitall, these tanks were already covered with a thick layer of silt. But because of the shallow Azov conditions their negative impact on the environment will be very large.

The recovery of these barrels of chemical weapons is not expected this year, since the budget for these purposes has not been provided.

Recall the situation, according to the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine, that for 10 years government programs related to ordnance explosives along the coast of Sevastopol and Kerch were organized with the MOE which received 55 million hryvnia from the state treasury. However, upcoming solutions are left with only one third of this, and the Crimean Black Sea coast is dotted with the remnants of munitions and chemical weapons flooded the Great Patriotic War. Containers, aerial bombs and artillery shells over time began to crumble, creating a potential threat to, and loss of, the recreational complex of the peninsula.

"For more than 10 years, the Ministry of Emergencies in fact demonstrated indifference to the problems of ecology and held a negligent attitude towards the people - those who live in Crimea, and those who come there to relax. A long time ago the millions of hryvnia, which had been dedicated from the budget, should have long since helped to clean the bottom of the Black Sea from the dangerous ‘heritage’ of the war!” - stated the head of the Accounting Chamber, Valentyn Symonenko. - But with this attitude to the ecology of our recreational pearl, the Black Sea, it is at risk of becoming a dead sea, if the MOE, together with the local authorities will not solve the problem responsibly.”

With the existing methods of MOE, to neutralize military items to disarm one ship requires at least 25 years. Experts offer there’s a need to expedite disposal either by moving munitions in modern light-weight containers with a guarantee of integrity for 700 years, or by using a special generator, through which at the molecular level can be neutralized to combat poisons. But the state has not allocated funds for this.

The following is a a more thorough videotaped interview of Gennady Rubtsov with fragments not included in this text outline by the news company "New Channel."


Thoughts on Crimea's Chemical Weapons

As was the case of Chernobyl and Fukushima, local Crimean citizens have been kept in the dark about the true health risks of the area. In keeping with human nature, there's a tendency for people in positions of authority to shirk their responsibilities regarding warning and protecting citizens, especially when they want to try and "save face," protect business interests, and avoid accountability. No matter how you slice it, allowing innocent people to suffer when suffering can prevented represents an inhumane and corrupt mindset.

The scriptures outline how the sin nature is like a poisonous serpent that brings forth death (Exodus 4:2-4, John 3.14). In the book of Exodus, this metaphorical serpent was transformed into a staff of authority and raised up high by Moses. This symbolic staff is a picture of Jesus Christ, who was raised high on the cross and became sin for us that we may be completely cleansed of sin. Jesus Christ lived without sin and yet bore the responsibility and guilt of our sin, if we are simply willing to receive His gift of salvation and eternal life.

Though the poisonous barrels are out of sight at the bottom of the Black Sea, the poison is still there and will eventually bring death unless the poison is dealt with. Each one of us also has the poisonous and deadly sin nature within until it is truly dealt with by the spiritual power and authority of Jesus Christ. With all of the calamities taking place in the world, it seems as though we live in very uncertain times and it would be wise to repent and make peace with God if you have not already done so. This is true especially if you live in Crimea. Two minutes isn't very much time to say a final prayer of repentance.

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