DISASTER MEDICINE No. 3 •2026

doi: 10.33266/2070-1004-2026-3

Review article

А Radiation Accidents and Incidents Involving Victims Diagnosed with Acute Radiation Sickness in the Former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation

Soloviev V.Yu. ¹, Udalov Yu.D. ¹, Bushmanov A.Yu. ¹, Parinov O.V. ¹, Galstyan I.A. ¹, Metlyaeva N.A. ¹ Konchalovskiy M.V. ¹, Kretov A.S. ¹, Karamullin M.A. ¹

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¹ State Research Center – Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russian Federation

UDC 616-001.28:614.876(470)

P. 33-36

Summary. The aim of the study is to analyze data on radiation incidents in the former USSR from 1950-1991 and the Russian Federation from 1992-2025 involving exposure to acute radiation sickness (ARS), based on data from the Radiation Accident Registry of State Research Center – Burnazyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency.
Research materials and methods. Research materials include data from the Radiation Accident Register.
Research methods include methods for analyzing and summarizing statistical data.
Research results and their analysis. According to the Registry, a total of 67 (6.3/4) radiation incidents occurred in the former USSR (1950-1991) and the Russian Federation (1992-2025) (hereinafter, this division is defined as 63 in the USSR / 4 in the Russian Federation), with 362 (356/6) victims diagnosed with ARS, including 67 (66/1) deaths during the acute phase of radiation sickness. Regarding the occupational affiliation of those diagnosed with ARS, the vast majority – 336 individuals – are workers professionally involved with sources of ionizing radiation, of which 12 were injured in emergency situations during nuclear tests and 85 in accidents on nuclear submarines. Thirteen people were injured in six incidents involving criminal use of ionizing radiation sources, including a suicide. Four incidents involving so-called “lost sources” injured seven members of the public, including one child.

Key words: diagnosis of acute radiation sickness, health consequences, radiation accidents, Register of Radiation Accidents, State Research Center – Burnazyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency, territory of the former Soviet Union, territory of the Russian Federation, victims

For citation: Soloviev V.Yu., Udalov Yu.D., Bushmanov A.Yu., Parinov O.V., Galstyan I.A., Metlyaeva N.A., Konchalovskiy M.V., Karamullin M.A. А Radiation Accidents and Incidents Involving Victims Diagnosed with Acute Radiation Sickness in the Former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. Meditsina Katastrof = Disaster Medicine. 2026;3:33-36 (In Russ.). Doi:10.33266/2070-1004-2026-3-33-36

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The material was received 05.05.26; the article after peer review procedure 16.05.26; the Editorial Board accepted the article for publication 16.09.26