Venezuela removes nuclear material following US strike near research facility

Venezuela has removed all remaining nuclear material from the former RV-1 research reactor at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC) following security concerns after a U.S. military strike earlier this year, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil Pinto said.

According to Pinto, the operation was conducted between April 18 and 29, 2026. He said Venezuelan authorities decided to accelerate the removal process after a U.S. strike on January 3 near IVIC facilities increased the level of risk around the site, Caliber.Az reports, citing his Telegram channel.

The operation reportedly involved Venezuela’s Ministry of Science and Technology, other national agencies, and the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Energy. The United Kingdom oversaw maritime transport, while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) handled safeguards monitoring, technical verification, and training for Venezuelan personnel.

Officials in Caracas said the RV-1 experimental reactor stopped operating in 1991, and a decision to permanently shut it down was taken several years later in cooperation with the IAEA. Part of the spent nuclear fuel was removed in 1997, while the remaining material had been kept under secure storage and international supervision until the latest operation.

Venezuelan authorities said the transfer was carried out in line with international nuclear safety standards.

In January, Venezuelan authorities said U.S. attacks damaged military installations, parts of the national electrical grid, health facilities, civilian homes, and areas within IVIC.

By Sabina Mammadli