NEWS AND COMMENT: In a new development in the Ukraine war, eight dogs will carry radiation detection devices, the size of a mobile phone, manufactured by a UK company, Kromek. This is another string in the bow of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to better protect the country as there is a real risk of a radiation leak or deliberate poisoning in the country.
A team of detector dogs has been developed. They are Belgian malinois, German shepherds and one Dutch Shepherd. They will carry the radiation detectors because there is a genuine risk of radiation poisoning in Ukraine for the following reasons:
- The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station is occupied by the Russians (since March 2022). It is turned off but it needs electricity to keep the nuclear rods cool. Fighting has taken place around the power station and there has been a risk for a long time that nuclear materials will be released from the power station contaminating the area. It is the largest nuclear power station in Europe.
- Ukraine has 15 operational nuclear reactors generating 54% of the country’s electricity.
- A report by the Henry Jackson Society a foreign policy think tank stated that Ukraine’s nuclear facilities are hugely exposed and are compromised by Russia’s invasion of the country. One problem highlighted is that it is possible for “non-state actors” to acquire small quantities of radioactive material which could then be trafficked which in turn could be used to build dirty bombs.
- In addition, the Kremlin has threatened using strategic nuclear bombs in the war which would produce huge amount of nuclear fallout.
The device is manufactured in the north of the UK. They are very sensitive and can pick up even the lowest levels of radiation. They also provide information on the type of radioactive material detected such as plutonium or uranium.
When searching for radiation, the dog handlers would be about 30 m away from the dog and would pick up detected radiation on their phone which receives a signal from the device carried by the dog.
Arnab Basu, the chief executive of Kromek said: “The canines are going to add an enormous capability to the Ukrainian forces. We are able to provide the highest quality information to people who are responsible for protecting or monitoring the field. If you have the right information you can act in the right way, and that saves lives.”
I believe this is the device:
