Russia Strikes Kyiv Nuclear Institute Housing Reactor
A Russian drone struck the grounds of Kyiv’s Institute for Nuclear Research, which houses the VVR-M research reactor, Ukraine’s nuclear regulator said. A resulting fire was extinguished, while the reactor and its safety systems were not damaged. No casualties or changes in radiation levels were reported.
On Wednesday, a Russian drone attacked the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv, striking its grounds where a research nuclear reactor resides, according to Ukraine's nuclear regulator. The regulator reported the drone hit the institute's grounds at 6:18 p.m. local time, based on information from the research facility itself. A fire ignited by the attack was swiftly extinguished, resulting in no reported casualties.
Investigators and specialists are now evaluating the extent of the damage. The VVR-M research reactor and safety systems were not affected, as confirmed by the regulator. Radiation monitoring detected no alterations following the strike, with levels staying within the natural background range of 0.16 to 0.20 microsieverts per hour.
The reactor, which has been offline since February 2022 out of precaution for wartime nuclear risks, has been fully unloaded of nuclear fuel. The institute's operations have since been confined to routine maintenance of safety systems. The regulator condemned the strike, deeming it an assault on a peaceful nuclear facility that only conducts scientific and research activities, describing it as a war crime.
The Institute for Nuclear Research, part of Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences, is a top research institution in nuclear physics, nuclear energy, and radioecology. Its VVR-M reactor functions as a neutron source for fundamental and applied nuclear physics research, as well as for studies in radiation physics, nuclear technologies, and reactor materials.
This strike occurred amidst an ongoing series of Russian attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions. On Wednesday alone, Russia launched its first large-scale combined attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure since the end of the previous heating season, targeting facilities in Kyiv, surrounding areas, and elsewhere. The assault claimed five lives, including a child, and injured 14.
On Thursday, Russian drones struck a school in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district while children sought shelter during an air raid warning, causing a fire but no injuries. Additionally, Russian forces targeted warehouse facilities in the same district. Later that day, two more Russian drone strikes hit near the Pivdennyi Bridge's supports, leading to the suspension of metro and surface transport across the bridge.
Municipal authorities initiated inspections, while social media reported a drone strike on a metro train, damaging windows in one of the cars. Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi disclosed that Russia has recently intensified a campaign of mass assaults against Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of winter. Since the summer, the enemy has attacked energy facilities daily, but this massive, combined attack marked the first since the previous heating season's end.
The strikes inflicted damage and destruction on energy equipment, though Koretskyi has not specified the affected facilities or the extent of the damage. He stated he awaits a detailed report on the condition of the equipment and the expected timeline for repairs. The attacks also disrupted electricity supplies in Kyiv and the surrounding Kyiv region.
DTEK implemented emergency power cuts in Kyiv as instructed by Ukrenergo, temporarily suspending regular schedules. Power schedules are now being managed on a case-by-case basis across the Kyiv region.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
