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War in Ukraine: The Risk of a Nuclear Site Attack

One and a half months have passed since Russia invaded Ukraine. This is the second episode in our special series on the environmental impacts of the war. In this episode we discuss the nuclear risks and hazards surrounding the war in Ukraine.

With us is Andriy Martynyuk, Executive Director of the NGO Ecoclub in Rivne, Western Ukraine. An environmental engineer by background, Martynyuk been working at Ecoclub since 2003 and is intimately acquainted with the country’s nuclear situation.

Following an overview of the nuclear power plants in the country, he and Boris Schneider discuss the most pressing nuclear risks tied to the war, from radioactive dust from Chernobyl to how attacks on spent nuclear fuel storage facilities could unleash a "dirty nuclear bomb". Also on the table is the question of the international community's response and the effectiveness of bodies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).