Authors

Discussion

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, nuclear heritage arose on several dimensions: nuclear terrorism and blackmail, Ukraine’s energy independence, and the re-evaluation of the Budapest Memorandum. An often-overlooked but significant issue is the abuse of scientific history through Russian propaganda, which highlights the need to decolonise the history of science—particularly nuclear physics, a field strategically critical during the Cold War. Kharkiv has been a centre for nuclear research since the establishment of the Ukrainian Physics and Technical Institute (UPTI) in 1928, and later, the educational facilities of Kharkiv National University were opened near the institute. During the Second World War, Laboratory 1 for the development of nuclear weapons was launched. Despite these facts, the history of Ukrainian physics is not reflected through the lens of postcolonial optics, being represented rather in Soviet science history. Thus, to understand the placement of Ukrainian nuclear physics in terms of Centre-periphery, this research will examine the professional relationships between UPTI and other Soviet research institutions, alongside Ukrainian scientists’ participation in international research networks. Addressing these questions will contribute to the broader discourse on managing Soviet heritage in public spaces and reclaiming Ukraine’s scientific achievements. The core methodology involves conducting interviews with former employees of UPTI to document their working relationships within and beyond Soviet republics. Additionally, archival documents from the institute will serve as a secondary source to deepen insights into Ukraine’s scientific networks and contributions.