Russians hit the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv, where the reactor is located

On September 30, a Russian drone attacked the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv. The research nuclear reactor is located there. It was not damaged.

This was reported by the State Atomic Regulatory Inspectorate.

A fire broke out on the instituteʼs premises as a result of the attack, but it was quickly extinguished. No people were injured, and the reactor itself and systems important for safety were not damaged.

No changes in the radiation background were recorded — its indicators are within the natural background (0.16-0.20 μSvph). An investigation and assessment of the damage caused are currently underway.

The inspectorate noted that the Kyiv Research Reactor (VVR-M) has been shut down since February 2022, and its core has been completely unloaded. The reactor is used only for servicing systems important for safety.

In general, the VVR-M reactor is intended for use as a neutron source for fundamental and applied research in the field of nuclear physics.

"Therefore, the strike on the territory of the Institute for Nuclear Research is an attack on a peaceful nuclear facility that performs an exclusively scientific and research function, and is another cynical disregard by Russia for internationally recognized principles and norms of nuclear and radiation safety and a war crime," the State Nuclear Regulatory Commission emphasized.

• This week, the Russians also struck the National Academy of Sciences building in central Kyiv, killing two people and injuring six others.

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