A humanitarian cargo with personal protective equipment, dosimetric and radiometric devices, that had been donated by Australia and France, arrived today to the State Nuclear Regulatory Commission and SE NAEK "Enenergoatom" with the coordination and logistical support of the IAEA. This assistance is provided to Ukraine within the framework of the IAEA Response and Assistance Network (RANET) in accordance with the provisions of the Convention on assistance in the event of a nuclear accident or radiological emergency.
On April 22 and April 29, 2022, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine and the State Service of Ukraine for Emergency Situations, as competent authorities under the conventions on early notification and assistance, sent requests to the Incident and Emergency Center (IEC) of the IAEA for equipment and means of protection necessary to support nuclear safety, physical protection and emergency preparedness in the conditions of full-scale military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which has been ongoing since February 24, 2022.
Details of the implementation of the large-scale program of international technical support of Ukraine for nuclear and radiation safety were discussed during personal visits to Ukraine by IAEA Director General Mr Rafael Mariano Grossi (March 30 to the South Ukrainian NPP and April 26 to the Chornobyl NPP after the deoccupation of the exclusion zone) and clarified during the meeting of the Acting Chairman of the State Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission - Chief State Inspector for Nuclear Safety of Ukraine Mr Oleg Korikov with the Deputy Director General of the IAEA - Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security Ms Lydie Evrard on the margin of the Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste management, which took place in Vienna from June 27 to July 8, 2022.
As part of the RANET mechanism, 12 countries have already offered assistance to Ukraine - these are Australia, the USA, Romania, Hungary, France, Germany, Sweden, Israel, Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Spain. The recipients of such assistance are operating organizations of nuclear installations and radioactive waste disposal facilities, other licensees in the field of nuclear energy use, as well as central and local executive authorities, which are responsible for ensuring nuclear and radiation safety according to the law.
Taking this opportunity, we express our sincere gratitude to colleagues from partner countries, employees of the IAEA, employees of logistics companies, who, with faith in safety and cooperation, ensured the provision, transportation, documentation and delivery of necessary items, devices and equipment "from door to door", with high respect to the personnel of nuclear and radiation facilities of Ukraine, which remains committed to the priority of nuclear safety even in war.
For reference: the RANET network was created in 2000 by the IAEA as an operational tool to support the practical implementation of the Convention on assistance in the event of a nuclear accident or radiological emergency. The Convention states that countries who need assistance following such an event may request it from a country registered with RANET. The network harmonizes the process by which this assistance may be offered and requested.