1. Fusion Research Infrastructure
This chapter examines Ukraine's fusion and plasma physics research infrastructure. Ukraine inherited a significant plasma physics research capability from the Soviet Union, including stellarator research programs at the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology. The country's fusion research is centered on the Institute of Plasma Physics (IPP) at the National Science Center Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (NSC KIPT), which operates the Uragan series of stellarators. The analysis draws upon the network graph of 6 entities and 5 relationships constructed for this investigation.
1.1 IPP NSC KIPT: Institute of Plasma Physics
IPP NSC KIPT (Institute of Plasma Physics, National Science Center Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology) is Ukraine's primary plasma physics research institution, located in Kharkiv (Kharkov). With 5 connections in the 6-entity network, IPP NSC KIPT is the central and most connected entity in Ukraine's plasma physics ecosystem. The institute inherited its stellarator research program from the Soviet Union and has continued to operate and develop stellarator devices since Ukraine's independence in 1991.
Key relationships:
- Operates the Uragan series of stellarators
- Conducts plasma physics and fusion research
- Participates in EUROfusion and international fusion research cooperation
- Coordinates with RDI Molniya on pulsed power research
IPP NSC KIPT's research portfolio encompasses magnetic confinement fusion, stellarator physics, plasma diagnostics, plasma-material interactions, and fusion technology development. The institute is one of the few institutions in the world with extensive experience in stellarator design and operation, a heritage that predates Ukraine's independence and traces back to Soviet-era fusion research programs.
1.2 Uragan Stellarators
The Uragan (Russian for "Hurricane") series of stellarators are magnetic confinement fusion devices operated by IPP NSC KIPT in Kharkiv. The Uragan program includes several devices of varying configurations and sizes, with Uragan-2M and Uragan-3M being among the most significant. These stellarators represent one of the longest-running stellarator research programs in the world, with origins in the Soviet fusion research establishment.
Key relationships:
- Operated by IPP NSC KIPT
- Part of Ukraine's stellarator research program
The Uragan stellarators are torsatrons/heliacs — a specific stellarator configuration that uses external helical windings to create the confining magnetic field. Research at the Uragan devices focuses on plasma confinement, transport, MHD stability, and plasma-wall interactions in stellarator configurations. This research contributes to the global stellarator knowledge base alongside programs at the Wendelstein 7-X (Germany), LHD (Japan), and HSX (US) stellarators.
The Uragan stellarators are civilian research devices operated for fundamental plasma physics and fusion energy research. They are not weapons systems, do not produce weapons-relevant outputs, and have no military sponsorship. The stellarator research program is conducted openly, with results published in international plasma physics journals.
1.3 Soviet-Era Heritage and Post-Independence Continuity
Ukraine's plasma physics research infrastructure is a direct inheritance from the Soviet Union's fusion research program. The Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology was a major Soviet nuclear and plasma physics research center, and the stellarator program was established during the Soviet era. After Ukraine's independence in 1991, the institute continued operating under Ukrainian authority, maintaining its research programs despite significant funding challenges during the post-Soviet economic transition.
The Soviet heritage of Ukraine's plasma physics program is significant for this investigation because it provides a potential technology transfer pathway from Soviet plasma physics research to present-day Ukraine. However, the investigation found no evidence that Soviet-era plasma weapons research (if any existed) was transferred to or continued at Ukrainian institutions. The Uragan stellarator program has always been oriented toward civilian fusion energy research, not weapons development.
1.4 EUROfusion Participation
Ukraine participates in the EUROfusion framework, the European fusion research consortium that coordinates fusion research across EU member states and associated countries. Through EUROfusion, Ukrainian researchers from IPP NSC KIPT collaborate with European fusion research institutions and contribute to the European fusion research roadmap. This participation connects Ukraine's domestic stellarator research to the broader European fusion research enterprise.