“Attacks of this kind should be unacceptable”: Experts comment on Russian drone strike on nuclear research facility in Kyiv
Kyiv’s Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which houses a research reactor, was struck by a Russian drone on Sept. 30 at 18:18 local time, according to a statement from Ukraine’s State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate released earlier today. Experts interviewed by The Insider said attacks on nuclear facilities are unacceptable but that the risk of…
On September 30, Russian forces launched a drone strike on Kyiv's Institute for Nuclear Research, located within the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The institute houses a research reactor, which was not damaged in the attack. According to Ukraine’s State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, no one was injured and the resulting fire was quickly extinguished.
Experts interviewed by The Insider stated that attacks on nuclear facilities are unacceptable, though the potential for radioactive contamination from this particular reactor is deemed low.
Pavel Podvig, an expert on Russian strategic nuclear forces, explained that the research reactor is housed in a conventional building, lacking specialized containment structures. He suggested that a sufficiently powerful warhead could cause serious damage to what's inside, though it would be challenging to hit the reactor directly.
However, due to the reactor being shut down since the removal of its fuel, the actual risk of a radiation incident is relatively small. The spent fuel, currently stored in a separate pool, could pose a greater risk if damaged, potentially leading to radioactive contamination.
Maxim Starchak, a research fellow at the Centre for International and Defence Policy, concurred, stating that since the fuel has been removed, a drone strike on the reactor itself would not cause a major disaster. However, if the spent fuel pool were destroyed, it could lead to radiation shielding loss and potential contamination.
Despite these low risks, the experts emphasized that attacks on civilian nuclear facilities, especially research reactors, should be universally condemned. While the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has established safety principles, it cannot enforce them due to lack of formal authority. The IAEA has even formulated a principle urging that nuclear facilities under its safeguards should not be attacked, but some states oppose this broad principle.
This controversy was highlighted when Israel and the United States attacked Iranian nuclear facilities.
Written by urgent.news from The Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
