Zmeinogorsk, Russia
A Russian atomic scientist this week turned in 400 grams of weapons-grade plutonium that he had been storing in his garage for the past eight years. Leonid Grigorov had read about the Russian government’s new buyback program for radioactive materials, and expected to get $8.25 per milligram, for a total of $3,300,000. Instead, he was arrested for illegal storage of nuclear substances. Grigorov said that when the enrichment plant where he worked was closed in 1992, he asked authorities to dispose of the radioactive material but received no reply. So he put the plutonium in a lead container and stuck it in the garage. “As an expert, I was simply obliged to do this to prevent anything bad from happening,” Grigorov said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
What are Lucy Letby's grounds of appeal?In depth Convicted former nurse's legal team claims judge at original trial wrongly refused her applications
-
Grindr 'shared user HIV status' with ad firms, lawsuit claimsSpeed Read LGBTQ dating app accused of breaching UK data protection laws in case filed at London's High Court
-
The best dog-friendly hotels around the UKThe Week Recommends Take a break with your four-legged friend in accommodation that offers you both a warm welcome
