21. Radioactive Consequences of a War in Ukraine
- Author:
- Rico Chandra
- Publication Date:
- 02-2022
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Council on International Policy (CIP)
- Abstract:
- A war in Ukraine could lead to thousands of radioactive sources getting lost, or worse, getting stolen and repurposed for political destabilization. So what is a radioactive “source”? It is a material that is specifically manufactured for the purpose of emitting radiation. For example, some forms of cancer are treated using radiotherapy whereby intense gamma radiation, emitted from a pencil-sized lump of radioactive metal, is directed at the tumor. This lump of highly radioactive metal is a radioactive “source”.
- Topic:
- Health, Military Strategy, Radiological Weapons, and Russia-Ukraine War
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Europe, and Ukraine