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International Experts Searching for Deadly Radioactive Materials in Georgia - 2002-06-10

Feb 12, 2026 February 12, 2026 1 min read 📰 VOA Persian
📋 Key Takeaway

International experts from the IAEA are conducting a search in Georgia for two containers of strontium-90, a radioactive material left over from the Soviet era. The discovery of these containers has raised concerns about nuclear security, especially after local forest rangers fell ill from radiation exposure. This situation highlights the ongoing risks associated with leftover Soviet-era nuclear materials.

🔍 Quick Context Guide
💡 Bottom Line: The search for radioactive materials in Georgia highlights ongoing nuclear security risks stemming from the Soviet era.

👥 Key Players

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) MENTIONED
International organization responsible for nuclear safety and security
"The IAEA plays a crucial role in monitoring nuclear materials and ensuring they do not fall into the wrong hands, which is significant for regional and global security."
Georgian Forest Rangers MENTIONED
Local personnel who discovered the radioactive containers
"Their exposure to radiation highlights the immediate dangers posed by leftover Soviet-era materials and raises awareness about nuclear safety in the region."

📰 What Happened

Experts from the IAEA are searching in Georgia for two containers of strontium-90, a radioactive material from the Soviet era. The search was prompted by concerns over nuclear security after local forest rangers were exposed to radiation from the containers.

  • The containers were discovered in the separatist region of Abkhazia.
  • Three forest rangers fell ill after handling the radioactive material.

💡 Why It Matters

🇮🇷 For Iran: Iran is closely monitoring nuclear security issues, as they are relevant to its own nuclear program and international relations.
🌍 Regional: The discovery of radioactive materials raises concerns about nuclear safety and the potential for these materials to be misused in the volatile Caucasus region.
🌐 International: This situation underscores the importance of international cooperation in securing nuclear materials to prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorists.

📚 Background

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many countries inherited nuclear materials and technology, raising concerns about their safety and security. The IAEA works to mitigate these risks globally.

Nuclear non-proliferation Post-Soviet nuclear legacy
📡 Source: INTERNATIONAL
📊 Confidence: 70%
The IAEA is a reputable international organization, and its reports are generally considered reliable and objective.

A group of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency, affiliated with the United Nations, has traveled from Vienna, the capital of Austria, to the Republic of Georgia. They are searching for two containers of deadly radioactive material that have remained since the Soviet era, using horses, on foot, or special vehicles in the western part of the country. The international team, consisting of 80 members, will spend two weeks searching an area of 550 square kilometers with sensitive tracking devices for the radioactive containers that were once used to generate energy for communication stations in remote areas. These containers are filled with strontium-90. The two containers in question were discovered last December in the separatist region of Abkhazia, raising concerns that nuclear materials could fall into the hands of criminals and terrorists. Three Georgian forest rangers who found the containers and took them to warm their camp were exposed to severe radiation and became ill, necessitating the transfer of two of them to France for treatment. Broader searches for nuclear material containers in Georgia will be conducted next September.

🌐

Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →

Translation confidence: 85%

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