Statement to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation on Radioactive Contamination of the Protected Lagonaki Plateau

The authorities are planning to destroy a UNESCO World Heritage Site — one of the most unique places on the planet and a refuge for wildlife — the Lagonaki Plateau in the Western Caucasus. Not long ago, we published a detailed article about a scientific study conducted on the plateau that proves critical radioactive contamination.

This means that the authorities are obligated to halt all construction on the plateau and retreat from protected land! In this regard, I am personally submitting a public statement to the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, General of Justice A. I. Bastrykin, requesting an immediate halt to any construction work on the plateau.

The statement has been sent to the Investigative Committee and is published below for transparency. I urge everyone to read it carefully and help spread the word!

Public Appeal for an Investigation into the Threat of Radioactive Contamination Linked to the Lagonaki Ski Resort Project

To the Chairman of the Investigative Committee

of the Russian Federation, General of Justice A. I. Bastrykin

From environmental researcher and writer,

member of the Russian Geographical Society

Pavel Alekseevich Pashkov

Dear Alexander Ivanovich,

I am writing to request a preliminary investigation and, if warranted, the initiation of a criminal case under Article 246 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Violation of environmental protection rules during work”) against those promoting the construction of a ski resort on the Lagonaki Plateau — within the borders of the Caucasus State Natural Biosphere Reserve and the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Western Caucasus.”

A foundational expedition-based gamma spectrometry study conducted between 2010 and 2021 by the Southern Federal University’s Institute of Physics revealed abnormally high concentrations of cesium-137 on the plateau. In the top 10 cm layer of soil, the activity of this isotope reached 620 Bq/kg, whereas typical background levels for the highlands of the North Caucasus do not exceed 1–40 Bq/kg — a thirtyfold excess.

The same soil samples also showed elevated levels of natural radionuclides: up to 60 Bq/kg for Ra-226 and Th-232, and nearly 800 Bq/kg for K-40, which significantly exceeds the reference range of 300–500 Bq/kg. The accumulation of cesium is associated with a “cesium hotspot” formed after the Chernobyl disaster and confirmed through years of repeat measurements.

Any excavation and blasting for building ski tracks, lift supports, and infrastructure on the karst massif will result in a sharp increase in radioactive dust emissions and erosion into water bodies. Even moderate dust levels (around 1 mg/m³) containing 600 Bq/kg of cesium-137 can cause local radiation exposure to exceed the annual public dose limit of 1 mSv set by NRB-99/2009. Contaminated material is already being washed into the Kurdzhips River basin — a tributary of the Belaya River, which supplies drinking water to settlements in Adygea. This presents a real risk of long-term exposure to an unlimited number of people through inhalation and the food chain.

Sanitary legislation explicitly prohibits deterioration of the radiation environment. Federal Law No. 52-FZ “On the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population” obliges authorities to prevent actions that lead to dose limit exceedance, and Article 56 of Federal Law No. 7-FZ “On Environmental Protection” allows for the suspension of any activity that poses a radiation hazard.

The entire Lagonaki Plateau lies within the strict protection zone of the reserve; Articles 19 and 34 of Federal Law No. 33-FZ prohibit any capital construction not related to the reserve’s purpose. Violating these norms on a protected natural area, especially one listed as a World Heritage Site, may qualify under Article 267.1 of the Criminal Code on damage to UNESCO-protected properties.

In light of this, I request the following:

– Conduct a procedural investigation involving Rosprirodnadzor, Rospotrebnadzor, and FMBA;

– Take additional soil, snowpack, and water samples to assess radiation dose levels;

– Request environmental assessment documentation from the project initiators and confirm whether a state environmental expert review was carried out;

– If the risk of dose exceedance is confirmed, suspend all project and construction activity until compliance is restored and a positive expert conclusion is obtained.

Prompt action by the Investigative Committee will help prevent irreversible health damage, protect this unique high-mountain ecosystem, and ensure Russia fulfills its international obligations regarding the preservation of World Heritage.

Sincerely and in hope of an impartial review, Pavel Alekseevich Pashkov

File Statement Document 82 KB

COMRADES!

The official statement to protect the Lagonaki Plateau from radioactive contamination was submitted on April 24. We will follow the outcome together. Public attention is crucial! Statement No. 1508816

Please help spread the word — share this with friends and across social media. Public pressure will determine the fate of this protected land.

Learn more about the issue:

• Radioactive Contamination of the Lagonaki Plateau: Full Report
• What Scientists and Activists Say About the Destruction of Lagonaki
• Destruction of the Lagonaki Plateau Has Begun: Logging Underway
• Lawsuit Filed in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to Defend Lagonaki

• Heritage of Humanity: Chronicle of the Destruction of Lagonaki

  
  

© PAVEL PASHKOV