The 20th International Nuclear Forum Concludes in Obninsk: Focusing on Nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response, Rosatom Showcases Nearly 3,000 Professional Emergency Responders

With the support of the Public Council of Rosatom, the 20th International Nuclear Forum "Nuclear Technology Safety: Emergency Preparedness and Response," hosted by the Rosatom Technical Academy, successfully concluded on October 9, 2026, in Obninsk. As the birthplace of the world's first nuclear power plant, Obninsk hosted this milestone annual international event for the first time.

The forum attracted more than 100 nuclear safety and emergency experts from Russia and abroad. In addition to industry leaders and technical specialists from organizations such as Rosatom, the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostechnadzor), Rosenergoatom, the Rosatom Emergency Technical Center, and the NPO Typhoon research and production association, representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as nuclear regulatory and emergency officials from the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Belarus, Iran, and Egypt, also participated deeply in various discussions.

Sergey Raykov, Director of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of Rosatom, noted in his remarks that 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. The painful engineering and management lessons of that time became the starting point for Russia's construction of a modern nuclear emergency preparedness and response system, driving the establishment of today's highly resilient nuclear safety barrier that comprehensively protects public life safety and ecological defense lines.

Roman Tyurin, Head of the Emergency Preparedness and Civil Defense Department of Rosatom, disclosed at the meeting the latest scale of Russia's nuclear energy emergency forces: currently, Rosatom's emergency response forces consist of 17 specialized nuclear emergency rescue teams and 70 regular non-full-time emergency detachments, with a total staffing of nearly 3,000 personnel, forming a highly responsive tiered response network covering nuclear facilities across Russia.

During the plenary sessions and thematic discussions, participating experts engaged in in-depth exchanges focusing on the application of intelligent and modern engineering technologies at the forefront of nuclear emergency response. Key topics included: the detection applications of special-purpose emergency robots and unmanned aerial systems, AI-based dynamic predictive modeling of radiation situations, summary of experience from comprehensive nuclear accident defense drills at the Kola NPP, mechanisms for crisis public opinion and transparent emergency information dissemination, and the research, development, and standardization of next-generation nuclear-grade personal protective equipment. At the closing session of the forum, the delegation conducted an on-site visit to the modern training base and simulation training facilities of the Rosatom Technical Academy.