Date: 14 April 1993

Location: Moscow, Russia

Type of event: use of radioactive material in intentional homicide of individual

Description:

A 7-curie cesium-137 source was planted in the chair of Vladimir Kaplun, director of the Kartontara packing company. Over several weeks Kaplun contracted radiation sickness and was hospitalized for a month before his death. The contamination was identified after his death by colleages.

Consequences: 1 fatality.

References:

• Iddins, Carol J., and Jason E. Davis, 2022, "Recognition of radiation-induced injuries as sentinel indicators of uncontrolled radioactive material," Environmental Advances, 8:100244.
• Ilyin, L. A., V. Yu. Soloviev, A. E. Baranov, A. K. Guskova, N. M. Nadezhina, and I. A. Gusev, May 2004, "Early medical consequences of radiation incidents in the former URRS territory," 11th International Congress of IRPA, on line, IRPA [http://irpa11.irpa.net/pdfs/7c20.pdf].
• Lee, Rensselaer W. III, 1998, Smuggling Armageddon: The Nuclear Black Market in the Former Soviet Union and Europe, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY).
• UPI, 1993, "Radioactive chair."
• Rich, Vera, 11 Dec. 1993, "Mafia puts enemy in the hot seat," New Scientist, 1903.
• Zaitseva, Lyudmila, and Kevin Hand, 2003, "Nuclear smuggling chains: suppliers, intermediaries, and end-users," American Behavioral Scientist, 46:822-844.

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Last modified 29 November 2022.
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