NOVOROSSIYSK (Sputnik) — The first ring of a new electron-positron collider was launched Friday at the Russian Nuclear Physics Institute in the southern Siberian city of Novosibirsk.
Once the particle smasher reaches its full capacity it will hopefully give a huge boost to Russian scientific research on synchrotron radiation, the governor of the Novosibirsk region told reporters.
"Today’s event will allow the institute to make a huge leap forward. They will no longer need to use devices in the United States or Japan for research," Gov. Vladimir Gorodetsky said.
The project, dubbed Complex VEPP-5, will cost a total of 17 billion rubles ($240 million). Only its injection complex and particle beams transportation channels are operational.
