Russian strike knocks out power at Kharkiv nuclear subcritical facility, IAEA reports
The neutron source in Kharkiv was de-energized as a result of Russian shelling on March 12, 2026 (Photo: Suspilne Kharkiv)
A Russian strike overnight on March 11–12 cut power to the
nuclear subcritical “Neutron Source” facility at the Kharkiv Institute of
Physics and Technology, with electricity restored on March 13, the
International Atomic Energy Agency said
on March 19.
Ukraine’s State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate informed the
IAEA of the outage.
Russia struck and destroyed a substation near the nuclear
facility on March 12, forcing the Neutron Source to run on emergency generators
until power was restored on March 13.
The Neutron Source installation at the Kharkiv Institute of
Physics and Technology has been repeatedly targeted by Russian attacks. Damage
to the substation supplying the facility was reported at least in March 2022
and April 2024.
In April 2024, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office told Interfax-Ukraine
that senior Russian military officials had issued direct orders to shell the
Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology, which houses the world’s only
nuclear subcritical “Neutron Source” facility and a nuclear materials storage
site.
Between Feb. 24 and July 22, 2022, the institute’s grounds,
including the nuclear facility, were hit 74 times by various types of Russian
weapons.
The Neutron Source project in Ukraine was funded by the
United States as compensation for the removal of highly enriched nuclear
materials from Ukraine to Russia. The project was completed on Oct. 6, 2021,
when 37 fuel assemblies were fully loaded and the facility reached initial
startup.
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