In 2023, the Agency increased its support to Ukraine and the original technical plan grew into a comprehensive programme of assistance. At present, the IAEA’s comprehensive programme of assistance for Ukraine includes:
- In-person assistance comprising of deployment of a continued presence of Agency staff at all five Ukrainian nuclear sites and other expert missions in Ukraine;
- Delivery of equipment needed to maintain continued nuclear safety and security in Ukraine;
- Medical assistance for operating staff at the nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Ukraine;
- Assistance for the recovery of the Kherson Oblast following the flooding after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam;
- Assistance on the safety and security of radioactive sources;
- Provision of remote assistance; and
- Provision of rapid deployment of assistance.
All activities implemented by the Agency within the comprehensive programme of assistance to Ukraine are based on requests from Ukraine and are in close cooperation and coordination with Ukrainian authorities, IAEA Member States and various international organizations.
IAEA Support and Assistance Missions and other in-person expert missions
The implementation of in-person expert missions in Ukraine has been essential to have a concrete understanding of the nuclear safety and security situation in the country and corresponding needs, and to share impartial and verified information with the broader international community.
During these missions, Agency staff with relevant expertise engage in visits and discussions with Ukrainian counterparts at the different sites on various nuclear safety and security matters. The Agency staff observe the situation on the ground against the Seven Indispensable Pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security during an armed conflict and report accordingly on their findings and observations to the IAEA Headquarters.
Some missions involve high-level talks led by IAEA Director General and are aimed at ensuring continued political dialogue with all parties in order to stabilize the situation.
Limited duration in-person missions focused on particular sites were predominant at the start of the armed conflict. In September 2022, the continued presence of Agency staff at the Ukrainian NPP sites (the so-called IAEA Support and Assistance Missions (ISAMs)) was first established at the Zaporizhzhya NPP (ISAMZ). In January 2023, the continued presence of Agency staff was expanded to the other four sites (ISAMIK at the Khmelnytskyy, ISAMIR at the Rivne, ISAMISU at the South Ukraine and ISAMICH at the Chornobyl NPPs). The establishment of this presence in Ukraine marked a major milestone in delivering technical support and assistance to the country and continues to be a major undertaking by the IAEA.
Teams of IAEA experts rotate every few weeks at all five Ukrainian nuclear sites. This effort involves up to 13 IAEA staff present at the five nuclear sites in Ukraine and thousands of person-days spent on the ground.
Delivery of nuclear safety and security equipment
Ukraine submitted a number of requests for assistance for nuclear safety and security equipment to the Agency. The assistance requested covers the needs of different organizations in Ukraine with relevant responsibilities in nuclear and radiation safety, nuclear security, radiation monitoring and protection, radioactive waste management safety, as well as emergency preparedness and response. Additional needs have also been identified during the in-person missions.
These requests are addressed through either donations of in-kind contributions of equipment from Member States (donors) or procurement of equipment by the Agency using extrabudgetary cash contributions from Member States and inter-governmental organizations. A door-to-door delivery directly to the recipients in Ukraine is organized by the IAEA.
Considering the large number of equipment requirements and available resources, the IAEA conducts technical assessment of the needs and engages extensively with Ukrainian authorities to define priorities as well as other donors to ensure efficiency without duplication.
Medical assistance for operating personnel
The medical assistance programme for the operating personnel at the NPPs in Ukraine was announced in April 2023 in light of the following observations from in-person expert missions:
- Difficult working conditions in which operating personnel carry out their duties imposed by the ongoing armed conflict;
- Constant high stress and pressure among operating staff, causing anxiety, depression, and a range of psychosomatic symptoms affecting concentration and performance;
- Reduction in the number of operating staff available, resulting in an increased workload.
The medical assistance programme aims to enable operating personnel of the NPP sites to have access to services they need to maintain their physical and mental health, and to conduct periodic assessments of their fitness for duty. Additionally, the programme helps ensure that medical facilities in Ukraine possess the necessary capacity to provide those services and critical medical assistance and care in normal situations and in case of an emergency.
The beneficiaries of this programme are medical facilities at the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne, South Ukraine and Chornobyl NPP sites, local hospitals in towns hosting these plants and the National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of National Academy of Medical Sciences.
Assistance for the Kherson Oblast
The assistance programme for the Kherson Oblast, called the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to the Kherson Oblast (ISAMKO), was announced in June 2023 following flooding of the region caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam. The programme aims to support Ukraine in its efforts to manage the various impacts of the flooding of the Kherson Oblast. This programme will include, where relevant, the procurement of equipment and supplies, provision of technical support, advice and capacity building in the areas of civil structure integrity assessment, drinking water safety, human health and food and agriculture.
Assistance on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources
Upon request from Ukraine, an IAEA Support and Assistance Mission on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources (ISAMRAD) was implemented in July 2023 to assist Ukraine in ensuring a continued high level of radiation safety and nuclear security of radioactive sources which are at risk or potentially at risk due to the current armed conflict. ISAMRAD conducted a formal assessment of the situation and determined a proposal for a subsequent provision of support.
This component of the assistance is planned to be implemented in phases, with the first phase starting in 2024, and will follow a risk informed, graded approach focusing on Category 1 to 3 radioactive sources in use, storage, or transport for peaceful purposes, as defined in the IAEA Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources. It is also coordinated with other components of the comprehensive programme for assistance to ensure cost-efficiency and avoid duplication.
The beneficiaries are Ukrainian authorities with responsibilities for the safety and security of radioactive sources and various facilities and activities that use, store or transport such radioactive sources.
Remote assistance
This component of assistance concerns the provision of external based support in relation to safety and security assessments of nuclear installations, including radioactive waste management facilities, as well as activities involving radioactive sources. It also includes external support for the assessment of requirements to adapt safety and security procedures to the current circumstances.
The implementation of remote training on leadership and management for all Ukrainian NPP sites, including nuclear safety and security culture and computer security, is envisaged under this component. The areas covered might be expanded as needs arise.
Rapid deployment of assistance
This component of assistance comprises deploying rapid assistance in case of an emergency at a nuclear facility or relating to radioactive sources. Such assistance consists of the deployment of an IAEA expert team to provide immediate assistance on the ground, to assess the consequences and the status of the facility or source regarding nuclear safety and security, to provide in-person support in managing the consequences and to liaise efficiently to mobilize the resources needed to address nuclear safety and security issues.
Such assistance in case of a nuclear or radiological emergency can be provided, upon request, under the provisions of the Convention of Assistance in case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency utilizing the Agency’s operational arrangements, including the Response and Assistance Network (RANET).
Up to this point, there has been no nuclear or radiological emergency in Ukraine that has necessitated the deployment of such assistance.
