Anatoly Petrovich Alexandrov

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Anatoly Petrovich Alexandrov (1903 - 1994) was a Russian engineer.

Anatoly P. Alexandrov an academician who led the Soviet effort to develop Chernobyl-type nuclear reactors, died of cardiac arrest on Thursday, February 4th 1994.

Mr. Alexandrov advocated the use of graphite-moderated reactors like the one that exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine in 1986. Western scientists say such reactors do not meet international safety standards. Described by colleagues as a brilliant scientist and organizer, he was deeply affected by the disaster, the worlds worst nuclear accident. It killed at least 32 people and caused widespread radioactive contamination. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated.

The accident later led the leadership to review and the suspend the ambitious nuclear power program. Mr. Alexandrov became prominent during World War II, when he devised a method of demagnetizing ships to protect them from mines, Mr. Velikov said.

He was also instrumental in developing the Soviet nuclear-powered fleet, both surface vessels and submarines, Mr. Velikhov said. Mr. Alexandrov headed the Kurchatov Institute Russia's prime nuclear research institute, since 1959 he served as the president of the Soviet Academy of Sciences until 1986.