FORMER USSR SPREAD MINI NUCLEAR GENERATORS EVERYWHERE, LEFT OVER 2,500 IN THE WILD

Today’s Russia has a great deal to do with the cultural, military and organizational detritus left from decline and end of the USSR years.  And one form of this literal, physical detritus that wasn’t on my radar is the mini, nuclear generator that the USSR spread out into remote, hard to reach places as an available power source.  And as was often the case, this program was comprehensive and fairly thorough in the implementing.  So much so, that we now know that there are more than 2,500 of these nuclear generators that were simply left in the wild.

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MINI NUCLEAR GENERATORS ARE POWERED, OF COURSE, BY NUCLEAR MATERIAL ANYONE CAN STEAL

That is cause for concern, in a host of ways.  For one, these nuclear generators were left essentially unprotected in terms of security.  Their remote locations were supposed to be protection enough, with the presumption that the USSR would last forever.  That, obviously, wasn’t and isn’t the case.  So it doesn’t take a security expert to work their cognition beyond first gear to understand that a generator that is nuclear means nuclear fuel.  If someone wanted that fuel and didn’t have the means to buy it off the black market, it might be worth a challenging trip to nowhere to get it.

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MINI GENERATORS FUEL IS SO RADIOACTIVE, THESE ARE ONLY (USUALLY) USED IN SPACE PROBES

And speaking of the black market, free nuclear fuel is a great way for the unscrupulous to make quick crypto cash.  All you would have to do is go and get it.  Presumably, of course, with enough preparation to safely transport it to “market” without getting radiation poisoning.  Or accidentally spreading it all over your route…  These mini nuclear reactors work by generating electricity from decaying isotopes’ heat.  And these used Strontium-90, Caesium-137 or Cerium-144.  Very radioactive.  For some reason, the USSR is the only country to widely use these on planet earth.

They’re used in space probes, which the rest of the world sends as far away as possible.