US helps Ukraine send enriched uranium to Russia

2010-12-30 19:35:00 PST Washington, , — (12-30) 19:35 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) --

The United States has helped Ukraine sent to Russia enough uranium to build two atomic bombs in a secret operation aimed at securing nuclear material.

The removal of more than 110 pounds of highly enriched uranium this week followed a pledge by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych (yah-noo-KOH'-vich) to get rid of all of his country's highly enriched uranium by April 2012. The material will be blended down in Russia, rendering it useless for bomb making.

Details of the operation were provided to The Associated Press by the National Nuclear Safety Administration.

Yanukovych agreed to give up the uranium in a deal announced at a nuclear security summit hosted by President Barack Obama in April.