The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has funded a number of Russian scientific projects on the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula, although the agency still officially considers Crimea a part of Ukraine. This is stated in investigation Radio Svoboda, which is based on internal IAEA documents related to two scientific projects supported by the Agency.
One of the projects, started in the fall of 2016, concerns the study of the pollution of the coastal waters of the Black Sea using nuclear methods of analysis. The agreement states that research is conducted at Russian coastal stations, including Sevastopol. Although the financial aspect of the deal is not disclosed, the IAEA is listed as the sponsor of the project.
Another project is a grant application from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) from Dubna, Russia, for research in Crimea. The application, with a budget of 165,000 euros, also mentions plans to take samples in Sevastopol. However, in the 2019 publication dedicated to this project, Sevastopol and Crimea were not mentioned, which leaves the question of conducting research in Crimea unanswered.
Another project concerned the study of bird migration and the spread of bird flu, where feather samples were taken in Crimea. Journalists received a contract between the IAEA and Russian performers, signed in the spring of 2018.
In addition, a training course on the physics of brachytherapy is planned to open in Moscow on October 21, as part of the IAEA technical cooperation program. Among the participants are declared representatives from Russia, but in fact they work in Donetsk, which is occupied by Russia.
The Ukrainian representation at international organizations in Vienna emphasized that none of these projects was agreed upon with Ukraine.
In response to RFE/RL’s request, the IAEA stated that it continues to recognize Crimea as part of Ukraine, and that the supported projects were “exclusively technical in nature” and do not reflect a change in the Agency’s position. However, the IAEA did not comment on the Moscow training with the participation of employees from Donetsk.
