EuroChem, one of the world’s leading fertilizer producers, announces that it was notified by the Russian Federal Protective Service (FSO) that an unidentified person was intercepted on the territory of its Phosphorit facility in Kingisepp, Russia, on the afternoon of April 11, 2012. The FSO reported that the individual had illegally entered the territory and was without identification papers. The individual initially refused to identify himself, but was later determined to be a Finnish national and was handed over by the FSO to the Russian Federal Migration Services. A laptop in his possession was found to contain a substantial amount of photographic material of the factory and its surroundings.

According to Russian authorities, the individual in question is a seasoned visitor to Russia and well aware that personal identification must always be carried when travelling in the country. According to local authorities, the individual was also questioned by the Federal Security Bureau on the content of the laptop found in his possession as it is prohibited to photograph strategic industrial facilities in Russia without prior written approval from relevant authorities.

Igor Schelkunov, EuroChem Administrative Director, commented on the situation: “We hope that this unfortunate event does not cast a shadow on the Ust Luga River testing program and the ongoing cooperation between EuroChem and Finnish and Russian environmental organizations”

Since January 2012, EuroChem, the Helsinki Commission’s BALTHAZAR Project, SYKE, RusHydromet and the Ministries of Environment of Finland and Russia have been actively cooperating in the monitoring of the Luga River water quality.