Title: Illicit trafficking in nuclear and other radioactive materials: separating myths from realities

Authors: Sergiy Kondratov

Addresses: National Institute for Strategic Studies, Kyiv, Ukraine

Abstract: The paper addresses some entrenched myths concerning illicit trafficking in nuclear and other radioactive materials as well as, connected with them, threats of proliferation of nuclear weapons as well as nuclear and radiological terrorism in terms of insufficient reliability and accuracy of data and information on illicit trafficking incidents contained in relevant databases. Arguments are presented that, at least partly, the problem is derived from the dubious definitions given to the term 'illicit trafficking in nuclear and other radioactive materials' in IAEA documents, and domination of a regulatory approach to this term definition as well as data reporting and processing procedures. Some measures to improve analytical efforts to minimise deficiencies in this field are proposed.

Keywords: nuclear materials; radioactive materials; illicit trafficking; non-proliferation of nuclear weapons; illicit trafficking database; reporting procedures; nuclear security; nuclear terrorism; radiological terrorism; threat assessment; International Atomic Energy Agency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNGEE.2019.100632

International Journal of Nuclear Governance, Economy and Ecology, 2019 Vol.4 No.3, pp.180 - 189

Accepted: 09 Aug 2014
Published online: 06 Jul 2019 *