CND Press Roundup Tuesday 4th October 2022

War in Ukraine / NATO

• The FT has a briefing on the nuclear weapons available to Russia. You can get around the paywall by opening the link in an incognito mode tab on Google Chrome. If you still have issues, email me and I’ll forward on.

• A letter in the FT from Admiral Lord West on why nuclear weapons are great: “Seventy years ago on October 3, HMS Plym was vapourised in the UK’s first atomic test explosion. The bomb was located 9ft below the waterline in the ship anchored off the Montebello Islands, Western Australia (Report, October 3). The decision by the Attlee government and particularly Ernest Bevin, the foreign secretary, to ensure the UK became an atomic weapons power was correct and reinforced subsequently by the cold war and now events in Ukraine. But maintaining our deterrent is at the limit of UK’s technical and industrial capability and the government needs to ensure that this is seen as a national endeavour and resourced as such.” Get your responses in! Also, I thought people/things blow up in a nuclear explosion rather than be vaporised?

• Jacobin speaks with Anatol Lieven, director of the Eurasia Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, on how the war in Ukraine could lead to a nuclear one. The Independent looks at what analysts have been saying about the chances of an attack.

• The Times reports that: “President Putin is set to demonstrate his willingness to use weapons of mass destruction with a nuclear test on Ukraine’s borders, Nato is believed to have warned its members.” It comes as a train believed to be belonging to a nuclear weapons division was spotted on the move towards Ukraine.

• That’s as experts say the US would know if Russia was preparing to launch a nuclear strike.

• The UN nuclear watchdog has welcomed the release of the head of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant – after he was detained by Russian forces on friday.

Trident

• Two of Britain’s four Trident subs are out of action as HMS Vanguard remains dry-docked. The sub – which has been in deep maintenance since 2015 – was re-dedicated back in July ahead of sea trails. But additional issues have been found and officials say it will be quite some time before it returns to sea.

UK Nuclear Energy

• While they struggle to get a single fission nuclear plant over the line on-time and on-budget, the Tories have announced plans to build a prototype nuclear fusion reactor by 2040. The government will initially make £220 million available for the design and the plant will be based at the West Burton power station site in Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire.

Nuclear Energy

• Nine senators from Australia’s Coalition – now in opposition - have submitted a primate members bill that would remove the country’s ban on nuclear energy.

North Korea

• North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday – the longest-range test to date – and the first time a launch went over Japan proper in five years. The launch prompted Japanese authorities to issue warnings for residents to take cover. It follows recent naval gaming by the US, Japan and South Korea.