The 2.5-tonne IEU-1 units were lost in the Pacific Ocean's Okhotsky Sea in 1987 and 1997 due to emergencies during their transportation by helicopters, lawmakers told reporters.

One unit now rests off Sakhalin island's eastern Nizky cape, while another lies only 300 meters (yards) away from the island's northern Maria cape.

"In case their shell is destroyed by seawater, the released strontium-90 would contaminate all regions near the Okhotsky Sea," and the fish harvested here by fishing crews from many countries, the regional parliament's deputy Viktor Sereda said.

"All of Russia's Far East would be in danger due to migration of sea animals," Sereda added.

Russia's cash-strapped Pacific Fleet attempted to retrieve the units, but all expeditions fell through due to lack of financing, despite appeals by local ecologists.

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