Penza, 28 June 2012. PenzaNews. The construction of the new building of complex munitions detoxification and destruction at “Leonidovka” facility to be finished in November 2012. This was reported by the Head of the Federal Department for Safe Storage and Destruction of Chemical Weapons, Colonel-General Valery Kapashin to Mikhail Babich, the authorized representative of Russian President in the Volga (Povolzhsky) Region, during his working visit to the Penza region on Thursday, June 28.

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“From November 2012, as soon as the building starts operating, it will destroy complex munitions filled with soman. Completion of detoxification is planned for December 31, 2015,” clarified Colonel-General

Valery Kapashin emphasized that facility “Leonidovka” will be the first in the world to destroy complex munitions.

Detoxification is carried out in an explosion-proof chamber without removing the explosive substance, which is subsequently burned. The whole operation takes place under a vacuum at low temperature in the sealed units.

“After 2015, when the destruction of chemical weapons is fully completed, facility “Leonidovka” will undergo a 5-year process of removal from service. After 2020 all the buildings and facilities will pass to the ownership of the Penza region,” concluded Valery Kapashin.