Emergency radiation dose rate monitoring during prolonged armed conflict

The 2022 Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine has introduced unprecedented challenges for the nuclear power generation and radiological safety communities, including occupation and disturbance of highly-contaminated areas, occupation of a nuclear power plant, and strikes near and within boundaries of nuclear sites. The war has necessitated the implementation of a supplementary dose rate sensor network to provide resilient measurement data for public protection and leadership awareness. This paper discusses the implementation of such a system, the factors determining what equipment is best suited for the purpose, and practical factors regarding deployment of the system and data management. A systematic approach for implementing a supplementary dose rate sensor network is put forward and described in a hypothetical generalised example. The crucial factors for operating a supplementary dose rate sensing network are backup power and communications options for dose rate sensors to make the network resilient to the effects of military operations. Practitioners should plan for extended operations beyond those typically considered for emergency response given the unpredictable nature of warfare.