MOSCOW. April 30 (Interfax-AVN) - Construction of the infrastructure at the chemical weapons recycling plant in Gorny may be accelerated, deputy chief of the Federal Special Construction Service Vitaly Martsinyuk told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"Several infrastructure items have not been finished at the facility in Gorny, where over 400 tonnes of yperite have been recycled. The Federal Special Construction Service plans to accelerate construction," he said.
Around 1,500 employees of the service are working in Gorny, Martsinyuk said.
"If the work has to be accelerated and an additional agreement is signed with the Russian Ammunition Agency, we will increase the number of workers," he said.
About 4,500 employees of the service worked in shifts 24 hours a day in Gorny at the peak of the facility's construction in 2002. The service has erected 314 infrastructure items in Gorny since 2000.
The state defense order for completing the infrastructure in Gorny amounts to RUB350m (USD11.25m) in 2003. Among other items, the funds will be spent on commissioning the 33rd block, where two stoves for burning disposable uniform used by specialists directly involved in chemical weapons destruction.
"It is not ruled out that the stoves will be used for disposing of reaction masses obtained from degassing poisonous substances. But this is up to specialists, scientists and the general customer - the Russian Ammunition Agency - to decide," Martsinyuk said.
The fire station, residential blocks and a series of other infrastructure items are not yet completed either. "According to our calculations, about RUB1bn (USD32.15m) is needed to complete the items that are not yet ready," he said.
According to him, the special construction department responsible for the Gorny facility has everything needed to complete the infrastructure in Gorny.
"The Gorny facility is experimental. In 2003, we are launching the construction of the plant in Kambarka, internal republic of Udmurtia, which will be a full-scale industrial facility. It will destroy Russia's main stocks of yperite and lewisite," Martsinyuk concluded.