STORY:
Russia Needs To Wake Up To Y2K

Legislators tell the nation to watch out for computer bug problems

Lawmakers in Russia's parliament are telling their comrades to wake up to the dangers of the 2000 computer problem. According to Reuters, the State Duma did pass a law obligating government and private entities to work out plans for averting chaos at midnight on December 31, but it provides no real relief.

Shortly before the Duma vote, the government's top official overseeing the so-called Y2K problem dismissed the dangers. The news report says the deputy prime minister for the military told a Russian radio interviewer that Russia expects nothing terrible.

Computer experts are concerned because of the country's vast nuclear arsenal, atomic power stations and other industrial facilities.

According to Reuters, fears of a Y2K flaw confusing military radar systems have prompted the United States to propose joint staffing of missile early warning stations to prevent a mistaken warning of a missile attack.

Russian government experts have said the country needs $2-$3 billion dollars to tackle the millennium bug. Military officials say they have just $4 million to spend on upgrading the nuclear arsenal's computer brains.

By contrast, the U.S. state of Texas alone is spending $280 million to fight the millennium bug.

Source: Reuters

DATE: 6/25/99

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