Russia, seeing that other nations are hot on its nuclear trail, throws all required resources into its nuclear program, even going as far as to cut its defense resource budget temporarily, and spending from the national bank to import more resources.
The Gaseous Diffusion plant is 25% complete.
The reactor is quickly constructed, but carefully enough so that not one detail is looked over.
-REDACTED- percent enriched uranium is used for the nuclear fuel. The elements that seem to have absorbed neutrons easily are made into advanced control rods for the reactor. Neutron sources are added to the reactor It is prepared for startup. A small steam turbine has been attached to the cooling system as part of a side-experiment for the generation of power.
The project works flawlessly. Scientists study the reactor, monitoring its progress. This is not technically the first reactor, it is only the first proper reactor. The reactor runs for 12 hours before being shut down due to the timidness of some of the scientists, going on the notion of them not knowing that they were dealing with.
Several scientists theorize that a weapon can be made of this, noting the immense energies released from the reactors and piles. The government quickly re-allocates all scientists willing to this project. A design is put together promptly, using -REDACTED- to -REDACTED- and causing the fuel to become critical. They claim that fuel that is fit for reactors is not fit for a weapon. The Gaseous Diffusion plant is given an order as soon as it comes online for -REDACTED- percent enriched uranium.
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