On the evening of September 30, 2026, a Russian drone struck the territory of the Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv — this is where the VVR-M research nuclear reactor is located.
On the evening of September 30, 2026, a Russian drone struck the territory of the Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv — this is where the VVR-M research nuclear reactor is located.
This was reported on October 1 by the State Nuclear Regulatory Commission of Ukraine (State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine).
As a result of the attack, a fire broke out on the territory of the institute, which was extinguished; there were no injuries.
The VVR-M reactor is the first nuclear reactor built on the territory of Ukraine: its ceremonial launch took place on February 12, 1960. It is used as a neutron source for fundamental and applied research in the field of nuclear physics, and not for energy production — it is a research, not an industrial nuclear facility.
The State Nuclear Regulatory Commission emphasized that the reactor itself and the systems important for its safety were not damaged, and no changes in the radiation background were recorded — the indicators remain within normal limits.
The agency recalled that to reduce radiation risks, the reactor has been in a shutdown state with a fully unloaded core since February 2022 — that is, it has been virtually inactive since the start of the full-scale invasion. However, its operation continues to be limited only to routine maintenance of systems important for safety.
The State Nuclear Regulatory Commission called the strike on the institute’s territory an "attack on a peaceful nuclear facility."
