Security of Critical Infrastructure Facilities in the Fuel and Energy Sector Under Martial Law

T. V. Bibik

Educational and Scientific Institute of Atomic and Thermal Power Engineering, National Technical University of Ukraine
“Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”, 37, Beresteyskyi Ave, Kyiv, 03056, Ukraine

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0134-6022

V. V. Borzenkov

Educational and Scientific Institute of Atomic and Thermal Power Engineering, National Technical University of Ukraine
“Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”, 37, Beresteyskyi Ave, Kyiv, 03056, Ukraine

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7247-9127

DOI: doi.org/10.31717/2311-8253.26.1.2

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive study of the problem of physical protection of nuclear installations in the context of interstate armed conflict, taking into account modern military threats. The relevance of the topic is determined by the increasing involvement of military operations in the vicinity of nuclear facilities, which creates a new spectrum of risks that have not been systematically addressed within classical approaches to nuclear safety and international humanitarian law. The purpose of the study is to identify the key challenges related to the protection of nuclear facilities during armed conflict, to analyze existing international legal and institutional mechanisms, and to substantiate possible directions for their improvement. The research methodology is based on a systemic and structural analysis of international legal norms, the safety principles and standards developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as a comparative analysis of precedent cases involving the impact of armed hostilities on nuclear infrastructure. As a result of the study, critical gaps in the current system of physical protection of nuclear installations under conditions of armed conflict are identified, and a set of legal and policy-oriented recommendations aimed at the strengthening of international nuclear safety mechanisms is proposed. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the integration of legal, security, and technical perspectives to formulate a coherent approach to ensuring nuclear safety during military hostilities. The practical significance of the obtained results consists in the possibility of their application in the activities of national nuclear regulatory authorities, operators of nuclear power plants, and international organizations involved in the development and adaptation of physical protection standards to modern conflict-related threats. The proposed conceptual framework may contribute to enhancing international cooperation and improving the resilience of nuclear safety systems in crisis and wartime conditions.

Keywords: nuclear safety, armed conflict, physical protection, international humanitarian law, IAEA

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