WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Internal Affairs-Internal Troops (MVD-IT) today announced the commissioning of the Ozersk Training Center (OTC) during a ceremony held in Ozersk, Russia. This joint project resulted from a close U.S.-Russian collaboration and is located in the Urals Region of the Russian Federation. The training center will be used by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to train personnel for Russia’s civilian nuclear sites, primarily those of the Russian Federation’s Nuclear Energy State Corporation (ROSATOM), in protective force tactics and procedures. This will allow the MVD-IT to assure a new level of nuclear material protection against theft and diversion of nuclear material.
“Commissioning of the Ozersk Training Center is yet another example of the close working relationship and joint commitment that the United States and Russia have to control, protect and secure nuclear material,” said NNSA Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Anne Harrington. “Facilities like this one demonstrate our shared investment in fostering a sustainable infrastructure for strengthening nuclear security and countering the threat of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism."
The OTC is equipped with a mock nuclear facility where protective forces and physical protection systems operators of the MVD-IT can train without disrupting operations at actual sites. Key features of the training center are: a central storage facility with a detailed physical protection system; entry control points for security checks of personnel; vehicles and railcars; a complete perimeter with sensors; a central alarm station; guard ready rooms; and training classrooms. There is space to conduct performance-oriented training involving reaction to attempts by terrorist and criminal groups to steal or divert nuclear material, or to sabotage industrial processes.
The OTC is an integral component of the training system developed by MVD-IT for personnel involved in protecting nuclear material. It is the third MVD-IT training center completed in partnership with NNSA; others include the Lunevo Training Center (commissioned in 2009) for the Moscow Region of the Russian Federation and the Gorelovo Training Center (commissioned in 2011) for the Northwest Region of the country.
NNSA’s work with the MVD-IT was implemented by NNSA’s Office of International Materials Protection and Cooperation (IMPC), which partners with Russia and other countries to secure and reduce weapons-usable nuclear material and to prevent the illicit transfer of nuclear materials.
For more information on the NNSA’s IMPC program, click here [1].
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Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, reliability and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing; works to reduce global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad.
