Protests in Germany against nuclear cooperation with Russia – photo, video

Opponents of nuclear energy gathered for another protest in Lingen, Lower Saxony, on Saturday, 26 October, primarily opposing the planned involvement of the Russian state corporation Rosatom in fuel cell production at a local plant. Source: Deutsche Welle, a German international broadcaster and media outlet, as reported by European Pravda Details: The media outlet noted that, according to the organisers, about 130 people had participated in the demonstration.

One of the speakers was a Russian environmentalist who reportedly warned the plant's operator, the French state-owned Framatome, against engaging Rosatom in cooperation.

The Kremlin, he said, would try to exert geopolitical influence in this way. "With this demonstration, we want to draw attention to the dangerous nuclear plans in Lingen again," said Alexander Vent, a member of the environmental union AgiEL, calling on the Lower Saxony environment ministry to reject Framatome's request to expand production.

The protest in question.Photo: SofA Munster on X (Twitter)

The protesters argue that collaboration with the Russian state corporation heightens the risk of espionage and sabotage.

Although Germany has phased out nuclear energy, it continues to produce fuel assemblies for nuclear power plants at a facility near Lingen, operated by a subsidiary of Framatome, journalists report. The environment ministry of Lower Saxony, where the plant is located, is considering an application from Advanced Nuclear Fuels GmbH, a subsidiary of Framatome, for permission to operate the new production line.

Vladimir Slivyak, ecodefense russia auf der Anti-Atom-Demo in Lingen:@rosatom is not any kind of energy company - it is an instrument of cremelin.. pic.twitter.com/Pg5yAdfwJP

-- SofA Munster (@SofA_MS) October 26, 2024

The new fuel assemblies will be manufactured under a licence from TVEL, a subsidiary of Rosatom.

In light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the European Union's push for energy independence from Russia, Framatome's plans have sparked significant outrage among environmentalists and civil society activists. DW reported that Framatome claims its initiative will ensure "an independent European supply of fuel assemblies, helping to prevent power outages and reducing reliance on imports from outside the EU". The company asserts that assembling Russian fuel cells in Germany is a temporary measure, as it works towards developing fuel assemblies for water-water energetic reactors that do not rely on Russian technology.

Background:

On 24 June, the EU Council adopted the 14th package of economic and individual restrictive measures against Russia, which, for the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, included sanctions on Russian gas.
In August, reports indicated that Rosatom, through its subsidiary in the Netherlands, was constantly providing additional revenues to the Russian treasury and thus financing the war against Ukraine.

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