Removal of Disused Radioactive Sources and Materials from Transdniestria: A Case of
Successful International Cooperation in Contested Territories

The control of radioactive materials in “contested territories” has proved highly challenging for local, national, regional, and international authorities. This is especially true for countries of the former Soviet Union, some of which have experienced conflict, including ethnic strife, and armed clashes. Contested territories in these countries may also house a significant number of radioactive sources and stockpiles of radioactive materials, without appropriate procedures for security, accounting, disposal, and/or removal. The paper details how approximately 2,700 disused radioactive sources were removed from the contested Transdniestria Region of the Republic of Moldova for safe storage and disposal. A section in this paper is dedicated specifically to the complex removal process of the Issledovatel-1 (hereinafter, Researcher -1) irradiator that was a part of these efforts. Although these radioactive sources and materials were in a contested territory where effective governance by an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) member state has been hindered, the Republic of Moldova, unrecognized Transdniestrian authorities, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and other stakeholders contributed to the success of this collaborative removal operation. This paper describes diplomatic efforts that made this project successful, and it analyzes the significant legal and technical factors that contributed to the success of this multiyear mission. While recognizing that each country and conflict is unique, this case study may serve as a useful model of cooperation and confidence building for reducing radiological risks in contested territories around the world.