The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. A large military power, with the greatest nuclear capacities, disappeared from the world map. Russia became its official heir and got all the atomic arsenal and all the problems pertaining to it as a legacy. The Soviet Union built 250 nuclear submarines, more than any other country. By the time the Soviet Union had collapsed, half were out of operation and posed threats only for the environment. Apart from this, Russian navy bases had accumulated hundreds of tons of nuclear waste and spent nuclear fuel. Alexander Nikitin, former Navy officer, worked on radiation safety problems for a long time and understood the threat of this military legacy. Working in the environmental group Bellona, Nikitin wrote about the threat, warning the world about the danger. In February 1996 Nikitin was arrested and accused of disclosure of the state secret, and espionage on behalf of an environmental organization.
