Nuclear shipyard director held for uranium hoard
Oct 2003 02.23 BST
A deputy director of a company that operates and repairs Russia's nuclear-powered icebreakers has been arrested for hoarding in his garage 2kg of highly radioactive material.
Alexander Tyuliakov, 50, was seized as he tried to sell undercover investigators a suitcase containing the material, which is thought to include a small amount of uranium 235, capable of being used to make a "dirty" bomb.
It was unclear yesterday whether he had got it from his employer, Atomflot, which refuels the Arctic icebreakers at its Murmansk shipyard, or from his contacts in the nuclear industry.
The undercover officers made contact with him after the secret service had word that he was trying to sell the material. He was arrested early last month when he met them to complete the deal. The operation was filmed by the internal security agency, the FSB.
The investigators have not commented on the quality of the radioactive material, which is still being examined.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/oct/01/russia.nickpatonwalsh