Chemical and Biological Weapons (CBW)

1. Case Study:  Chemical Weapons Destruction in Russia

The Situation:

“At the end of the Soviet era, the Russian Federation inherited a massive arsenal of chemical weapons (CW). Indeed, at approximately 40,000 metric tonnes, Russia's declared stockpile of chemical weapons is the world's largest. Destroying these weapons, as Russia has undertaken to do, will be both a costly (an estimated 11 billion Canadian dollars) and lengthy undertaking.

Russia's Stockpile:

Russia's chemical weapons are stored at seven facilities, six of which are located west of the Ural Mountains and one east. Five of these sites are repositories for deadly Organophosphorous agents (i.e. nerve agents) such as sarin, soman, and VX (approximately 32,500 metric tonnes, or 80% of Russia's total CW stockpile). Two others house the Vesicants (i.e. blister agents, mustard, lewisite and lewisite/mustard mixture) (roughly 5,500 metric tonnes, or 20% of the total stockpile).

International Assistance:

While destruction of Russia's CW stockpile is a strictly Russian responsibility, a number of countries, Canada included, have provided financial assistance to this effort. Most of this assistance has been directed towards security upgrades at the storage sites and to the construction of destruction facilities at Shchuch'ye, Gorny, and Kambarka. Canada considers the Shchuch'ye chemical weapons destruction facility the top priority, as it will destroy Russia's most lethal and human portable chemical weapons.

Canadian Contributions:

Before the Global Partnership was formed, Canada contributed $5.35 million to the construction of the Shchuch'ye facility.

Canada's contributions were directed towards several high priority infrastructure projects including: 

• construction of an access road to the site's industrial area
• construction of a power line to supply electrical power for the destruction facility
• partial funding of a natural gas line that will supply gas service to the destruction facility.

As an initial project under the Global Partnership, Canada is contributing up to $33 million for construction of a railway connecting the chemical weapons storage depot near Planovy to the destruction facility at Shchuch'ye. The rail spur is required to safely and securely transport the approximately 1.9 million chemical weapons located at Shchuch'ye from storage to destruction. It will also likely be used to transport an additional 2 million nerve agent-filled artillery shells from the Kizner storage site to the CW depot. Canada anticipates making a very significant and sustained contribution to the construction of the Shchuch'ye destruction facility.”

This project is extremely important because international support for chemical weapon destruction under the Global Partnership will enhance international security and safety by helping to prevent terrorists from acquiring or developing chemical weapons and/or related materials, equipment and technology.

Comprehension Questions

1. What is the Global partnership and which countries are members?

2. Why is it important that Canada help Russia in funding the disarmament of its chemical weapons?

3. Name four initiatives that Canada is responsible for funding.

4. What is the definition of bilateral?   

Discussion Questions/Research Questions

1. What is the G8?  Why do countries form such alliances?

What else is Canada doing in CBW disarmament?  Investigate!