Analysis of radiological scenarios of military-related emergencies and their impact on the radiation safety system

Background. A primary task in assessing the compliance of the current radiation safety system with modern principles is the systematization of radiological scenarios that are unequivocally linked to the medical and biological characteristics of injuries sustained during nuclear and radiation incidents. The purpose was to assess the contribution of each radiological scenario to the overall effectiveness of the radiation safety system based on the analysis and generalization of data related to radiological scenarios typical of military-related emergencies. Materials and methods. The study employed expert assessment methodologies. The justification of weighting coefficients and evaluation criteria for assessing the effectiveness of the radiation safety system was based on the structured analysis of radiological scenarios. This framework included the probability of threat occurrence, the scale and nature of exposure, specific medical and biological impacts, approaches to diagnosis and casualty triage, requirements for technical equipment, personnel qualifications, and the associated risk to medical staff. Results. Most scenarios involving exposure to radioactive substances, such as the use of depleted uranium (15.7 %), radiological weapons (19.4 %), or terrorist attacks utilizing radioactive materials, including dirty bombs (17.4 %), are predominantly associated with stochastic effects caused by internal radioactive contamination. A nuclear explosion (23.4 %) represents the most complex scenario in terms of casualty identification and triage due to the diversity of trauma types, the combination of damaging factors, and the urgent need for rapid triage. Nuclear power plant accidents (24 %) are characterized by latent and prolonged radiological consequences (e.g., gas-aerosol mixtures), requiring specialized equipment for skin decontamination and long-term monitoring of contamination levels. Conclusions. A radiological scenario in the context of military emergencies is a complex model or sequence of events that includes radiation exposure arising from various military actions, such as the use of nuclear weapons, radiological attacks, or accidents at nuclear facilities during conflict.