Russian Activists Arrested Protesting French Nuclear Waste

Police arrive as Greenpeace activists put a banner reading "Russia is not a trash can" in Valenton, France on March 11.

ST. PETERSBURG -- Five Greenpeace activists have been arrested at the French Embassy in Moscow while protesting the docking of a French ship in St. Petersburg that is carrying nuclear waste, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

Several Greenpeace members also picketed the French Consulate in St. Petersburg today.

The protesters told RFE/RL the waste will be transported to a chemical plant in the western Siberian city of Seversk for processing. They carried such placards as "France, leave your waste in your own backyard!" and "Russia is not a dumping ground!"

Maria Musatova, the Greenpeace press spokeswoman in St. Petersburg, told RFE/RL that France was the only country that sends its nuclear waste to Russia.

She said a German company stopped sending nuclear waste to Russia last year after nongovernmental organizations and activists protested against the shipments.