On January 23, from 12:00 to 13:00 (GMT+2), Alexander Nikitin, nuclear advisor with The Bellona Foundation will host an online presentation of our new report on the role and actions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure the safety of Ukraine’s civilian nuclear facilities during the war since it began in 2022. 

The war between two major nations that possess nuclear technology and civilian nuclear facilities is now in its third year. The invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces caught the international community off guard. For the first time, we are witnessing the armed seizure of one country’s civilian nuclear facilities by another. At the war’s beginning, Russian forces occupied and then plundered the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant complex and seized Europe’s largest nuclear facility, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. How the International Atomic Energy Agency functioned in these conditions, what capabilities it had, and how the agency deployed them is a question of great interest to politicians, experts, and the public alike. 

The report, analyzing the IAEA’s actions since the war began, offers Bellona’s assessment of the agency’s effectiveness as a UN body. It seeks to understand the IAEA’s capabilities within its granted authority at different periods of the war and in various situations involving nuclear facilities. It also examines the professional relationships between the IAEA’s governing bodies and officials from the warring nations. The report aims to invite interested parties to a discussion on how to ensure nuclear and radiation safety at civilian nuclear facilities during and after war. 

As an environmental organization, Bellona aims to foster dialogue about international nuclear safety in the 21st century. In Bellona’s view, it is time to discuss how international organizations, such as the IAEA and others, should act to ensure the safety of civilian nuclear facilities in a new era of political and military conflicts. 

“The purpose of Bellona’s report is to summarize and discuss information on how the international safety system functions today in wartime conditions,” says the author of the report, Bellona’s Alexander Nikitin. 

During the live broadcast, Nikitin will share findings and details from the report. After his presentation, there will be a Q&A session where all attendees can participate via the chat feature. 

Registering for the presentation will allow you to submit your question in advance and receive a notification with a YouTube link when the broadcast begins. If your question cannot be answered live, you will receive a written response the following day, so be sure to register early.