Principal Areas of Activity to Improve the Monitoring of Nuclear Material Security and Accounting in the Russian Federation Ministry of Atomic Energy, within the Framework of the Program of Cooperation with the United States of America

One of the major elements of the Russian Federation state system of accounting and control of nuclear materials (SSAC NM) is a 'universal' oversight system for nuclear materials security covering MPC and A at the federal, agency and enterprise levels. Oversight of SSAC NM has always been considered important by the State. In 1951 an Order of the USSR Council of Ministers created a department responsible for the accounting and storing of nuclear materials at the enterprises. The accounting and storing of NM was assigned to the First Central administrative board of the Council of Ministers of the USSR (the former name of the Ministry of Atomic Energy of Russia). Originally this activity included, in general, oversight of the maintenance of secrecy and security during the performance of various kinds of work connected with special production (classified products and materials). Since 1995, beginning with the enactment of the Federal law 'On the use of atomic energy,' this activity has received additional development beyond organizational-methodological activities. Technical equipment and new technologies have been introduced into work on the control of nuclear materials security (for example, means of controlling access to nuclear material, equipment for detecting radiation from nuclear material, etc.). The questions connected to development and perfection of oversight activity are laid out in the 6th section of the Federal targeted program 'Nuclear and radiation safety of Russia' in which the overall working plan for the creation and perfection of the state system accounting and the control of nuclear material in Russia are described. Russian-American collaboration on MPC and A began nearly simultaneously with the enactment of the Law 'On the use of atomic energy.' The purpose of this collaborative program is the introduction of modern technologies in the area of nuclear materials security to the Russian installations using nuclear materials for industrial and scientific activities. Financial support has been provided by the United States to create a regulatory basis; to supply information; increase transportation security of nuclear material; create educational centers and improve the professional skill of experts and methodology and metrology of nuclear material measurements; and develop agency MPC and A inspections.