Moscow decries 'fake news' about ambitious Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant
It sees deliberate attempt to ‘discredit’ ambitious project, ‘undermine’ ties with Dhaka
Russia has said those who produce and spread "fake news" about the alleged embezzlement at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) deliberately attempt to "discredit" this ambitious project and to "undermine" steady and mutually beneficial relations between Moscow and Dhaka.
"It has come to our attention that certain misleading and false information regarding alleged embezzlement in the Rooppur NPP project keeps circulating in Bangladesh media despite two press releases issued earlier by Rosatom State Corporation to refute these ungrounded statements," said the Russian Embassy in Dhaka on Wednesday.
In order to put an end to further absurd speculations on the subject, it seems necessary to clarify the mechanism of utilisation of Russian export credits and the amount of money already spent on the construction of the Rooppur NPP, it said in a press statement.
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As of 3 September 2024, approximately $7.8 billion out of $11.9 billion provided by Russia to Bangladesh under state export credits for the implementation of Rooppur NPP project, has been utilised.
This amount includes transactions under two separate agreements: $491.3 million under the first agreement dated 15 January 2013 (this credit amounted up to $500 million, and its utilization period expired in 2017), and $7.3 billion under the second agreement dated 26 July 2016.
The full amount of the second export credit is $11.38 billion out of which 64% has been used, and its utilisation period expires on 31 December 2024.
The lack of the very opportunity for any corruption on the Rooppur NPP project can be proved by the fact that, according to the laws of the Russian Federation, the provision of any state export credit does not imply a direct transfer of funds to the sovereign borrower, said the Embassy.
The financing of any goods, works or services provided to a foreign customer under the export agreement is conducted by the Russian Ministry of Finance in Russian currency (rubles) directly to the concerned Russian exporting companies.
"These transactions are made based on the documents provided to the Russian Ministry of Finance that have been previously approved by the authorized agent specialising in international agreements - VEB.RF (Vnesheconombank)," said the Russian Mission in Dhaka.
The utilised amounts of state export credits are considered as the debt of the foreign state borrower before the Russian Federation, it said.
