Nuclear safety in armed conflict has become a critical concern in recent years, notably following Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. The unprecedented threat of this war to nuclear safety has exposed critical gaps in international security and safety frameworks and spurred renewed interest in having national preparedness plans in place in order to maintain nuclear safety and preventing nuclear incidents and accidents under the extreme circumstances of an armed conflict.
Existing international framework
From an international law perspective, the existing legal framework to protect nuclear installations has proved insufficient. Even if Article 56 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 does foresee that nuclear electrical generating stations shall not be made the object of military attack, the rule is not absolute and is outdated in the sense that it does not address the complexities of modern warfare or of a prolonged military occupation. In response to the war in Ukraine and the risks it posed to nuclear facilities, the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) put forward the "Seven Indispensable Pillars of Nuclear Safety and Security". While not legally binding, these pillars provide a framework on the essential conditions required to maintain nuclear safety and security during armed conflicts.
Reflection group on nuclear safety during armed conflict
With the aim of developing a general guidance on the topic that would be suitable for application in a European context, ENSREG established the Reflection Group on Nuclear Safety during Armed Conflicts in the autumn 2024. The reflections of this group will result in a report to be drawn up. The final report is expected to be presented towards the end of 2026 and once published a link to the report will be inserted on this site.