Igor Konyshev comments on spreading of rumors about incident at Leningrad NPP

04.06.2008 // Information Department of Leningrad NPP

Igor Konyshev: The key motives of the information attack on Leningrad NPP were political rivalry and economic competition

During his visit to Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant on June 1 2008 the director for contacts with public organizations and regions of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation Igor Konyshev commented on the situation that followed the May 20–21 information attack on the plant. He said:

“It was an instance of information terrorism, sabotage. Let’s call spade spade. I am absolutely convinced that it was not just a dirty trick but a well-planned action. Not everybody likes Russia’s plans to develop its nuclear power industry. There are things like political rivalry and economic competition. I think that those were the key motives of the provocateurs.”

“As regards our counteraction, I think that Rosatom and the authorities responsible for the physical and information safety of our state must envisage much rougher counter-measures against such attacks. We must do our best to prevent such rumors in the future.”

To remind, during a recent press-conference the head of the the Sosnovy Bor division of the Investment Department of Leningrad region Maria Shklyaruk said that they had prolonged the inquiry into the May 20–21 provocation against Leningrad NPP for 30 days.

She said that the only thing they knew for sure for the moment was that the authors of the rumors were not from Sosnovy Bor.

The investigators have urged the population to help them to detect the mobile phone numbers and e-mail addresses used for spreading the rumors.

To remind, during a briefing on May 28 the deputy director general of Rosenergoatom Concern-the director of Leningrad NPP Valery Lebedev said that Rosenergoatom Concern might sue the authors of the allegation and to ask the court to defend its business reputation.