Threats to security: Environmental degradation in the former Soviet Union

A number of non-military threats to security originate in Russia and other states of the former Soviet Union. In many cases, they are directly or indirectly associated with Soviet military activities. These are environmental threats, the impact of which is far greater than a local deterioration of the environment, and they may even have grave international consequences. A complete description of environmental degradation in the former Soviet Union is far beyond the limits of this chapter. An overview of the current problems is given, as well as an illustration of the trends of the society's response to the consequences of environmental degradation and a discussion of the threats that reach beyond national borders (e.g., sea pollution), which can also be seen as threats to international security.