Russia has reached an early milestone with its chemical weapon destruction activities at Leonidovka in the Penza region, completing elimination of VX agent from 1,000 aerial bombs, ITAR-Tass reported last week (see GSN, June 17, 2008).
"The process went on without a hitch," a press statement said.
The process of eliminating nearly 23,000 VX-filled munitions began in September after the facility formally opened in June of last year, ITAR-Tass reported. Russia is scheduled to complete an additional plant at the site this year to dispose of sarin- and soman-based weapons (ITAR-Tass/BBC Monitoring, Jan. 28).