Russia stays committed to international fusion reactor project

Sanctions against Russia have not affected Russia’s participation in the international project to create the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), BelTA learned from Vyacheslav Pershukov, Deputy Director General of the Russian state corporation Rosatom, during the 15th international conference on thermonuclear fusion energy that opened in Saint Petersburg on 13 October.

Rosatom’s press service quoted Vyacheslav Pershukov as saying: “Russia has honored, honors, and will honor its international commitments within the framework of the ITER project. I can assure the general public that we have not changed the budget for 2015-2017 to reduce funding relating to the ITER project,” said the executive.

In his words, this year Russia’s participation in the project has been close to RUB5 billion, including in the form of delivered equipment. “Science is outside politics. We uphold this view,” said Vyacheslav Pershukov.

The 15th international conference on thermonuclear fusion energy opened in Saint Petersburg on 13 October. It is the first time that Russia is hosting the forum in its modern history. The conference is held under the aegis of the International Atomic Energy Agency every two years and offers a platform for discussing prospects of research in the area of thermonuclear energy.