ABSTRACT
The creation of independent armed forces and independent energy policies of the CIS states (former Soviet Republics), as well as the necessity of ratifying Russia's agreements assuming the reduction of strategic offensive armament in the nuclear states, created complex problems arising from handling the accumulated reserves of plutonium and highly enriched uranium applied in manufacturing nuclear weapons. These materials, as well as fuel elements used in various nuclear reactors (especially in experimental reactors that operate in the CIS states) are a potential source of high hazard. These problems have a long-term, mostly tragic history. Particular accidents which occurred in handling fissile materials were described in memoirs by Minister E.P. Slavskiy, Academician A . P . Aleksandrov, and V . N . Chernyavin, Admiral of the Fleet 11161.
