Russian Photo Exhibit: The Destruction of Chemical Weapons in the Russian Federation/ photos by ITAR-TASS

4 December 2009

Photographers from the ITAR-TASS News Agency visited Gorny, Kambarka, Kizner, Leonidovka, Maradykovsky, Pochep and Shchuchye to chronicle the demilitarization work underway at those seven sites for the exhibit.

The Russian Federation staged its third photography exhibit on Russia’s chemical weapons destruction programme at the 14th Session of the Conference of the States Parties. OPCW Director-General Rogelio Pfirter – flanked by Gen. Victor Kholstov, a director in the Russian Federation Industry and Trade Ministry, and Conference Chairman Amb. Vaidotas Verba of Lithuania – opened the exhibit on 30 November.

Photographers from the ITAR-TASS News Agency visited Gorny, Kambarka, Kizner, Leonidovka, Maradykovsky, Pochep and Shchuchye to chronicle the demilitarization work underway at those seven sites for the exhibit and an accompanying booklet.

“This impressive photographic essay captures the daunting engineering challenges and vast investment of resources involved in eliminating chemical weapons,” Director-General Pfirter said. “Completing destruction of all chemical weapons stockpiles is vital to prevent any breach of the global chemical weapons ban and will thereby enhance international peace and security.”