[PRAVDA--RIA-NOVOSTI correspondents' report under the rubric "Briefly and Clearly". Moscow PRAVDA in Russian 16 Jun 92 p 4]

[Text] Peter [St. Petersburg] has started to "glow." It is polluted by radioactive waste sites; moreover, one of the most dangerous is situated next to the hard currency hotel "Pribaltiyskaya."

A certain military unit engaged in secret work involving the use of radioactive substances was long in operation in the district of Vasilyevskiy Island near Shkiperskiy Channel. The work has finished and the military have departed, burying the radioactive waste right there in the city's soil.

No less than nine extremely dangerous centers of radioactive contamination emitting beta-radiation of up to 50,000 particles per square centimeter per minute, are situated less than 300 meters from the Gulf of Finland. The former authorities concealed the fact the Vasilyevskiy Island has been made dangerous to life over an area of almost one hectare.