Turkish news media reports[1] that on August 18, not far from the Armenian-Turkish border, in Kars, training exercises were held to prepare the population for the so-called “possible leakage” of the Metsamor nuclear power plant. According to the scenario, a series of actions to be taken in case of leakage caused by a 7-point earthquake in Metsamor was reproduced.
It said that “the teams worked against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear leaks that could occur at the Metsamor nuclear power plant, which is 16 km away from Turkey.”
Comprehensive training exercises were conducted under the coordination of the Health Department of Kars State with teams from the State Disaster and Emergency Department, the National Medical Rescue Team, the District Police Department and Akyaka State Medical Institution.
This training exercise, which seems ordinary at first glance, however, contains a dangerous implication for us. It is not the first time that Metsamor NPP is targeted by Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem. We know that they have repeatedly spoken about the need to close it. Meanwhile, it provides a significant part of our energy requirement and some degree of autonomy.The same Turkey, however, is not worried about various leakages when it comes to building nuclear power plants and developing nuclear technologies on its own territory. And it does it, moreover, with Russian capital and support. Meanwhile, on June 8, 2020, the de facto government of RA refused the Russian loan provided for the purpose of re-equipment of the second power unit of the ANPP[2].
[1] Arama ve kurtarma ekipleri sınırdaki olası nükleer sızıntıya karşı hazır, https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/gundem/arama-ve-kurtarma-ekipleri-sinirdaki-olasi-nukleer-sizintiya-karsi-hazir/2663695 (referenced on 19.08.2022)
[2] Rosatom is developing nuclear cooperation with
Turkey https://hayaliq.com/rosatomturkey (referenced on 19.08.2022).
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