Russian Drone Attacks Kyiv Institute for Nuclear Research

A Russian drone struck the grounds of Kyiv Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine reported that the attack occurred on September 30.

The attack caused a fire, which has been extinguished. There were no casualties. An investigation and assessment of the damage are underway. The VVR-M research nuclear reactor is located on the institute’s grounds.

“The reactor itself and the safety-critical systems were not damaged. No changes in the radiation background have been recorded; its levels remain within the natural background range (0.16–0.20 μSv/h) and have not changed,” the statement reads.

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine noted that to reduce radiation risks, the reactor has been shut down since February 2022, with the core fully unloaded.

Its operation is limited to routine maintenance of safety-critical systems.

Kyiv Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine is a leading research institution in the fields of nuclear physics, nuclear energy, and radioecology. The VVR-M nuclear reactor is used as a neutron source for fundamental and applied research in nuclear physics.

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine described the UAV strike on the territory of Kyiv Institute for Nuclear Research as “an attack on a peaceful nuclear facility that serves exclusively scientific and research purposes, and represents yet another cynical disregard by Russia for internationally recognized principles and standards of nuclear and radiation safety, as well as a war crime.”

This is not the first Russian attack on critical facilities. Last year, a Russian strike drone carrying a high-explosive warhead struck the shelter of the number 4 reactor unit at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.