Russia destroys Ukraine atomic lab built with US amid fears of nuclear risks
- The head of the world’s nuclear watchdog said the neutron generator at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology was destroyed during an attack
- Russian shelling earlier caused a fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, prompting concerns over safety issues posed by fighting around such facilities
Russian forces destroyed an atomic physics lab under international safeguards in Ukraine’s second largest city, the head of the world’s nuclear watchdog said, underscoring growing concerns over the safety risks posed by fighting around the country’s facilities.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, who leads the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that a neutron generator at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology was destroyed during a Russian attack but the inventory of radioactive material at the site was small and monitors detected no radiation release.
“We cannot go on like this,” Grossi said, noting that the facility was built in collaboration with US Argonne National Laboratory located outside Chicago.
The destroyed lab was used for research as well as to provide medical isotopes for health care workers, according to Ukrainian officials. Kharkiv’s relationship with the US grew under the Obama administration, which helped remove 16kg (35.3 pounds) of highly-enriched uranium from the site.
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Ukraine says Russia has taken control of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant
The IAEA’s Grossi said he is ready to meet Ukrainian and Russian officials at a location of their choice to ensure the safety of atomic sites as the war escalates. The physical integrity, communication channels and supply chains of the facilities needs to be guaranteed, he said.
It is the second Ukraine nuclear facility in a week that has been damaged by fighting. The IAEA confirmed Friday that Russian shelling caused a fire at a building on the site of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, injuring two members of the facility’s security team.