A protest action against importing nuclear waste into Russia was held in 53 Russia's regions in commemoration of the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. The action was organised by the Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO, different environmental and human rights organisations.

YABLOKO held about 500 pickets and 70 meetings. According to preliminary estimates about 30,000 activists of the YABLOKO party, representatives of environmentalist and human rights organisations, Chernobyl veterans, students, journalists and deputies of local legislative assemblies participated in the action.

In addition to pickets where specialised literature was distributed (over 2 million of newspapers and leaflets), every organisation was free to determine its own form of participation in the action. Thus, a requiem in commemoration of those who died after working to eliminate the disaster was held in the Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk. In Ulyanovsk a commemorial procession  was held, and in Tomsk demonstrators in gas masks led by deputies from the Tomsk Duma marched across the city. In Cheboksari the action began with the laying of flowers to the monument to victims. Many cities held theatrical "burials" of the nuclear waste.

In about 15 regions the meetings adopted addresses to the regional authorities, demanding the adoption  regional laws prohibiting the transportation, recycling and burial of imported nuclear waste on the territory of the region.

Public opinion polls were held during the pickets in a number of cities. The results will be released in due course.

The action was not accompanied by any public disorders, while the picketers were detained only in Sochi and released after 30 minutes.

See also:

YABLOKO Against Nuclear Waste Imports