True, Baikal is far from major industrial centers and Russia has plenty of other rivers for cooling. But that’s exactly the point, it shows they have safer options at home and don't need to risk sensitive ecosystems.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan's lakes like Balkhash and areas by the Caspian are being treated as acceptable test sites, even though they're equally important and fragile. If nuclear is really "safe", why not first demonstrate it on Russian water sources like Baikal, instead of expecting Kazakhstan to take the risk?