[Summary translation prepared by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

“Mines were not properly decommissioned, so now they’re even more dangerous” — how Kirovohrad region is dealing with radiation, 6 February 2024

For nearly 40 years, active uranium mining has taken place beneath the streets of Kropyvnytskyi and in the Smolinske and Malovyskivska communities, causing significant environmental pollution. According to Iryna Muntyan, a project manager at the NGO “Flora,” the risks have grown since the start of the war, as most uranium mining operations were suspended under martial law but the mines were not properly decommissioned, making them even more hazardous to both the environment and public health.

Muntyan cites alarming health statistics: even before the war, Kirovohrad region had a higher death rate than birth rate and a cancer incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people, with Kropyvnytskyi showing the highest rate in Ukraine—472 per 100,000, compared to the national average of 349.8.

She warns of the real threat of uranium mines being flooded, which could contaminate regional water layers with uranium and other radioactive substances, reducing the availability of safe drinking water. In addition to the three uranium mining sites, the region also has natural radon emissions from the ground, further impacting public health. Addressing radiation risks is a critical issue for the region and requires urgent action.