Lepse: A ghost from Russia’s Soviet past

On 26th September 2018, construction was completed on a unique building in the Russian arctic far north, helping at last resolve one of the most complex and long-standing of Soviet-era nuclear challenges. The ship “Lepse” dates back to Stalin’s time, and from the 60’s serviced the atomic icebreaker fleet. But many of the spent fuel rods aboard were damaged and could not be removed. Withdrawn from service in 1988, the Lepse steadily deteriorated in dock, posing a threat to the environment and local populati