The scale of the damage is astounding: the condition of the Kharkiv nuclear facility stunned the IAEA

Since February, several nuclear facilities in Ukraine have come under fire from the Russian invaders Agency inspectors examined the Kharkiv Physical and Technical Institute, making sure that almost all buildings on its territory were damaged, in particular the one where the reactor is located. 

From November 8 to 10, an expert mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) studied the condition of two nuclear facilities located in Kharkiv: the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology and the Radon radioactive waste disposal site. The mission established that the institute, which is engaged in nuclear research, was heavily damaged by Russian shelling, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said.

“Previously, we received information from Ukraine about significant damage to the city’s nuclear research complex, but for the first time we were able to see the facility with our own eyes and inform the world about the difficult situation there,” he said. “Although the radiation levels were normal, the extent of the damage caused to this research center, are impressive and even more than expected. The scale and intensity of the continuous attacks on the Kharkiv Physical and Technical Institute violate all seven basic principles of nuclear security.” 

The radiation level is normal, all materials are in place.

The Director General of the Agency noted that the institute has a nuclear facility “Neutron Source”, which is used for research and development, as well as for the production of radioisotopes for medical and industrial needs. She was transferred to a deep subcritical condition as early as February 24, immediately after the Russian invasion.

Almost all the buildings on the territory of Kharkiv Physical and Technical Institute were damaged, in particular the one in which the nuclear reactor is located.

The IAEA knew that no radiation emissions had been recorded at the facility after the Russian shelling, despite the damage to the cooling system and the building where the diesel generator is located. However, during the visit to Kharkiv, the experts saw that almost all the buildings of the institute were damaged, many of which are probably beyond repair. The building in which the reactor is located was also damaged, but the installation itself was intact.

The management of the institute told the inspectors that only in the first three weeks after the beginning of the invasion, the object was subjected to more than a hundred rocket and artillery attacks, and there was no electricity and water for more than a month. Almost all the windows in the houses are broken, now they are being boarded up to preserve the premises during frost. The mission checked the inventory list of nuclear materials stored at the Kharkiv Physical and Technical Institute and made sure that all materials were in place. What’s more, inspectors examined so-called “hot cells” — laboratories used for research — and found no signs of undeclared nuclear material or activity.

It will be recalled that Rafael Grossi previously reported that IAEA inspectors visited three nuclear facilities in Ukraine and did not find any signs of the manufacture of a “dirty bomb” on them. This visit took place after Russia accused Ukraine of manufacturing radiological weapons.

In October, Russian Defense Minister Serhii Shoigu called colleagues from different countries, claiming that the Ukrainians intend to use spent nuclear fuel stored at nuclear power plants to create a bomb. The bomb is allegedly being prepared at the Institute of Nuclear Research in Kyiv, the Eastern Mining and Processing Plant in Zhovty Vody, and the Southern Machine-Building Plant in Dnipro. In response, Russia was accused of preparing a nuclear provocation on the territory of Ukraine.

On Friday, November 11, the Russian military again attacked Vovchansk (Kharkiv region). The occupiers fired artillery at the private sector of the city.

This was reported by the main office of the national police in the Kharkiv region.

“On November 11, the police department No. 1 of the Chuguyiv district police department received a report that the Russian military had fired artillery,” the report says.

As noted by the law enforcement officers, the occupiers fired 152-caliber weapons. Employees of the police department recorded the fact of armed aggression and collected material evidence.

“There were no casualties. Two houses, a fence, and a gate were partially damaged,” the law enforcement officers explained.

According to this fact, the investigators have opened criminal proceedings for violating the laws and customs of war.

On the morning of November 2, Russian troops attacked Vovchansk, Kharkiv region. As a result of the shelling, five people were injured.

On Friday, October 28, the Russians shelled Vovchansk again. Houses were damaged as a result of the attack.

As a result of shelling in the Chuguyiv district in the afternoon of November 11, premises on an area of 1,300 square meters were on fire, the State Emergency Service reported.

“At 12:12 in the village Vovchanski Khutory of the Chuguyiv District of the Oblast, as a result of shelling, the premises of the workshop, dining room and administrative building on an area of 1,300 square meters were burned. m. At 2:25 p.m. firefighters localized the fire, at 5:00 p.m. it was extinguished. There are no casualties. 4 units of equipment and 15 personnel were involved in the elimination of the fire from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine,” the headquarters of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Kharkiv region reported.

According to rescuers, two fires broke out in the region during the day due to shelling. Five more times firefighters extinguished the fire, which arose for other reasons.

During the day, 294 explosive objects were neutralized in Kharkiv region.

The Kharkiv police are establishing the circumstances of the explosion, which injured two teenagers (12 and 15 years old).

“At the scene of the incident, the law enforcement officers discovered a gash measuring 25×25 cm and 10 cm deep. Metal fragments from the explosion of the combat element of the rocket salvo fire system were removed. It was preliminarily established that the boys found a detonator from an anti-aircraft missile system, which detonated,” – reports the Department of Communications of the National Police Department in Kharkiv region Information about the event was entered into the Unified Register of Pretrial Investigations under part 1 of Article 438 (violation of the laws and customs of war) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

As reported, on Friday, on Buchma St. (Northern Saltivka), as a result of the explosion of an explosive object, two teenagers received shrapnel wounds in their legs and were hospitalized.

The occupiers continue to shell the Kharkiv region. This was reported by the head of the regional military administration Oleg Sinegubov.

It is reported that during the past 24 hours, the enemy fired at the civilian population of the settlements of Kupyan, Chuguyiv and Kharkiv districts adjacent to the contact line and the border with the Russian Federation.

In the village In the Vovchansk villages of the Chuguyiv district, farm objects were damaged by shelling, and fires broke out. No casualties.

2 boys aged 15 and 12 were injured by a cluster munition in the Saltiv district of Kharkiv. The victims were admitted to the hospital, they are provided with all possible help, doctors assess their condition as average.

An 80-year-old woman was injured and hospitalized as a result of shelling by the occupiers in the Chuguyiv district.

 Demining continues. During the day, pyrotechnics of the State Emergency Service defused 294 explosive objects.

“Fierce fighting continues on the front line. Our military repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of Masyutivka and Orlyanka settlements of the Kupyan district. We believe in our defenders and work for victory!”, said Oleg Synegubov.

The head of the regional military administration, Oleg Synegubov, reported on the victims of shelling and landmines carried out by the Russian army in the Kharkiv region.

“In the Saltiv district of Kharkiv, a cluster munition blew up and injured 2 boys, 15 and 12 years old. The victims were admitted to the hospital, they are provided with all possible help, doctors assess their condition as average. In the Chuguyiv district, an 80-year-old woman was injured and hospitalized as a result of shelling by the occupiers,” Sinegubov wrote.

Two teenagers blew themselves up in Severniya Saltivka – on Buchma Street. Ammunition from the “Smerch” and “Uragan” MLRS left over from the intense shelling of the area was detonated there.

According to Synegubov, the enemy shelled the border and front-line settlements of the Kupyan, Chuguyiv and Kharkiv districts in the past day.