G.N. Lepeshkin: When I look at those photos, I feel a sense of pride that I knew what kind of fermenter this was, and I knew how to use it. It worked, and it yielded products. A lot of labor was put into making it work. But when it was taken apart, that was a simple job, taking it part – that's a completely different story. It's easier to destroy than to build up. But it had to be done. Because that fermenter in the future could never have made products for the national economy, including medications.
Paperno: And the weapons were no longer needed?
Lepeshkin: The weapons hadn't been needed for a long time already.
Paperno: How long?
Lepeshkin: When the Soviet Union broke up, all the programs were terminated. So they weren't needed anymore. And now, even less so.