Russian drone hits Kyiv nuclear research institute; reactor undamaged

On September 30, Russian forces targeted the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv with a drone, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine reported on October 1. The drone attack sparked a fire that was quickly extinguished and no injuries were reported. Crucially, the VVR-M research reactor located on the premises, which serves as a neutron source for fundamental and applied research in nuclear physics, remained undamaged along with its safety-critical systems.

Investigations and damage assessments are currently underway. The reactor has been shut down since February 2022, with its core fully unloaded to minimize radiation risks. Its activities are currently limited to routine maintenance of safety-critical systems. Russian forces carried out a separate drone attack on a school building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district on the morning of October 1, damaging the facade and sparking a fire.

However, there were no reported injuries in this incident. Russian forces launched a total of 107 drones of various types at Ukraine overnight on October 1, hitting 11 locations, while downed drones or debris were found at four locations.