[en] The closed fuel cycle concept in relation to the WWER was adopted in the former USSR. WWER-440 SFAs were shipped to RT-1 plant ('Mayak' enterprise) for reprocessing. WWER-1000 SFAs were shipped to Krasnoyarsk-26 (Zheleznogorsk) for storage in the wet away-from-reactor spent fuel storage facility (SFSF) of the prospective reprocessing plant. RBMK SFAs were transported to the wet away-from-reactor storage located on the NPP site. Reprocessing of RBMK spent fuel was considered inexpedient because of the low content of fissile nuclides. Presently, Ukraine continuing to ship spent fuel to Russian reprocessing plants is developing the Intermediate Spent Fuel Dry Storage Program (deferred decision). The forecast of spent fuel generation within 2002 - 2015 year period is shown. The cost of spent fuel removal services is increasing. The problem of spent fuel dispatch to Russian Federation needs consideration not only from the point of view of cost but also from the point of view of reliable operation and prospects for nuclear energy in Ukraine. In accordance with the above it should be noted that the construction of RT-2 reprocessing plant is not planned until 2020 that is why Ukraine's WWER-1000 spent fuel will be dispatched to Russia for storage but not for reprocessing in the nearest future. The capacities of the existing wet SFSF at the RT-2 complex are limited and will fill up by the year 2007 if the current rate of spent nuclear fuel intake from Ukraine, Russia and Bulgaria is kept. The construction of additional dry storage facility is planned but there is no guarantee that this work will be completed by the year 2007. Thus, spent fuel dispatch to Russia even in the nearest future could be limited due to circumstances beyond Ukraine's control. The national nuclear utility EnergoAtom advances payments for spent fuel reprocessing the results of which it would probably never get because the strategic decision on the structure of the national nuclear fuel cycle is not made. Several circumstances hinder the decision-making: - the program of nuclear energy development after the year 2010 and the program of operating reactors life extension are not developed in Ukraine; - the possibility of the safe operation of WWER-1000 using MOX fuel is not demonstrated and WWER-1000 necessary modernization programs are not developed; - WWER-1000 MOX fuel manufacturing is absent. RBMK-1000 spent fuel long-term dry storage implementation The option of the interim dry SFSF project was taken by means of international tender in 1999. The modular type (horizontal concrete modules 'NUHOMS' designed by the Pacific Nuclear, USA and Framatome ATEA) SFSF is being constructed near the Chernobyl NPP site and will be completed by the year 2004. The NUHOMS modules are being built in two parallel lines of 116 modules. Each module contains 1 canister. Each canister contains 196 spent fuel bundle cartridges (98 RBMK FAs divided into halves). The new storage capacity is planned for 21356 RBMK SFAs and approximately for 2000 discharged absorber rods for 100 years. According to the Program, the transport of all spent fuel from the wet SFSF to the dry SFSF should be completed by 2012. Interim dry SFSF implementation on Zaporizhzhya NPP site. The dry spent fuel storage facility project for Zaporizhzhya NPP is based on VSC-24 cask design by Sierra Nuclear as a prototype. The storage facility project includes 380 VSC-WWER-1000 casks. The facility at Zaporizhzhya NPP was put into trial operation in September 2001. The first three concrete containers have been loaded. But the design capacity of these containers was reduced from 24 cells to 22 cells according to Ukrainian safety (subcriticality) requirements. Several ways for subcriticality maintenance were considered: - incomplete loading of the container; - burnup credit implementation; - basket improvement due to the use of neutron absorber. (This opportunity will be under consideration after the technology transfer). The Utility has to obtain the permit of the Ukrainian Regulatory Body for loading of each container. The facility trial operation was successfully completed and now Zaporizhzhya NPP has to obtain the license for facility commercial operation. One of the conditions for license obtaining is the research of WWER spent fuel behaviour during long-term dry storage. In the State Scientific Centre of Russia 'Research Institute of Atomic Reactors' (RIAR, Dimitrovgrad, Russia) the advancing investigations of three assemblies from Zaporizhzhya NPP) are performed under the contract between ENERGOATOM and RIAR. (FA average burnup is from 44 MWt.day/kgU up to 49 MWt.day/kg U). Central dry WWER SFSF. Central dry SFSF is apparently the most economically viable decision for Ukraine. The Ministry of Fuel and Energy of Ukraine and the state nuclear utility EnergoAtom are performing preparation works for WWER storage during the period up to 50 - 100 years. One of the most important problems is spent fuel storage technology selection on the basis of option assessment and based on the utilization experience