A drone struck near a research nuclear reactor in Kyiv
A Russian drone struck the territory of the Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv on the evening of September 30, where the VVR-M research nuclear reactor is located. A fire broke out after the strike, but the reactor itself and systems important for its safety were not damaged.
The Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine reported this.
According to the institution, the strike occurred on September 30 at 18:18. The fire was quickly extinguished, and there were no injuries. Experts continue to assess the damage caused to the facility.
No changes in radiation background were recorded after the attack. The indicators were 0.16-0.20 µSv/h and remained within the natural background.
The VVR-M research reactor has been in a shutdown state since February 2022. Its core was completely unloaded to reduce radiation risks during the war. Currently, only routine maintenance of systems important for safety is being carried out at the facility.
The Institute called the strike an attack on a peaceful nuclear facility used exclusively for scientific and research purposes, and stated a violation of the principles of nuclear and radiation safety.
This is not the first time a Russian attack has affected the territory of the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv. On January 14, 2023, as a result of an air attack on its territory, a fire broke out. At that time, a warehouse burned, but the VVR-M reactor and nuclear fuel were not damaged, employees were not injured, and the radiation background remained normal. This incident was recorded by the IAEA in its report on the state of nuclear safety in Ukraine.
Russian strikes have repeatedly affected another major Ukrainian nuclear research center - the National Science Center "Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology", where the subcritical facility "Neutron Source" is located.
On March 6, 2022, as a result of shelling, the electrical substation there was completely destroyed, and the cooling systems, heating, and some buildings were damaged. Later, the facility was subjected to repeated shelling. In particular, on June 25, 2022, the cooling system and the diesel generator building were damaged, but the radiation background remained within normal limits.
The "Neutron Source" is used for scientific research and the production of radioisotopes for medical purposes. Its nuclear assembly is subcritical, meaning a self-sustaining chain reaction is impossible in it.
The Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv is one of the main Ukrainian scientific institutions in the field of nuclear physics, atomic energy, and radioecology. The VVR-M reactor is used as a neutron source for fundamental and applied research.
Based on materials from: Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, IAEA
