The United States and the Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy (MINATOM) announced todaythe completion of upgrades to security systems protecting highly enriched uranium at two sites inRussia, and the grand opening of the Russian Methodological and Training Center (RMTC).

In cooperation with the Russian government, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has installednuclear material protection technology and advanced material control and accounting systems at theState Research Institute, Scientific Industrial Association (Luch) and the Krylov ShipbuildingInstitute (Krylov). Physical protection devices installed include motion detectors, cameras andvibration sensors placed in areas containing weapons-grade material at Luch and Krylov.

Ceremonies commemorating these events are taking place this week in Russia. Representatives ofthe Department of Energy and MINATOM are participating in the commissioning ceremonies.

The RMTC, a cooperative effort among Russia, the United States and the European Community, isthe state central training center for nuclear material safeguards training in Russia located inObninsk, 107 miles southwest of Moscow. The RMTC's grand opening ceremony is being held tocelebrate the completion of the consolidated training academy covering the areas of nuclearmaterials protection, control and accounting.

"The completion of the security upgrades at Luch and Krylov to protect highly enriched uraniumsignificantly reduces the risk of unauthorized use, theft, or diversion of nuclear materials," saidSecretary of Energy Bill Richardson. "These efforts will help to ensure that all weapons-usablematerial in our two countries remains out of reach of terrorists and rogue states."

The completion of the security upgrades at Luch and Krylov and the grand opening of the RMTCare three of the most recent accomplishments of the U.S./Russian nuclear material protection,control and accounting program (MPC&A).

Since 1994 DOE and MINATOM have been jointly working under the MPC&A program toimprove the security of weapons-usable material at locations throughout Russia and the formerSoviet Union. The MPC&A projects have secured tens of tons of weapons-usable nuclear materialthroughout Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Uzbekistan and Georgia byimproving physical protection and material accounting systems.

To date, site-wide MPC&A upgrades have been completed at 19 sites throughout the former SovietUnion. Installation of upgrades continues at 34 remaining sites, which will result in improvedprotection of hundreds of additional tons of weapons-usable material from theft or diversion.