CND Press Roundup Thursday 15th December 2022

War in Ukraine / NATO

• Unnamed officials have suggested that US President Joe Biden will announce this week that he is sending Patriot missile systems to Ukraine to help Kiev tackle Russian strikes on its energy infrastructure.

• Germany has cleared a £10 billion deal to buy 35 nuclear-capable F-35A fighter jets from the US – which will replace its ageing Tornados. Pilots will train on the aircraft in 2026 with deliveries to commence the following year. The Telegraph see the decision as a snub to the British Eurofighter.

• The IAEA will establish a permanent presence at all Ukrainian nuclear plants, including the defunct Chernobyl.

• Ukraine is to offer higher bonuses to staff at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant who remain loyal to Kiev. It comes amid reports that Russia has told workers they won’t be paid in 2023 unless they sign contracts with their nuclear company, Rosatom.

• The Bulletin on why we urgently need to protect nuclear plants from attack.

Trident

• UK Defence Journal on the recent spotting of US nuclear submarines in the north Atlantic and the “message” British and US nuclear subs are sending Russia.

China

• The UK’s defence chief has warned that China will soon threaten security in the Atlantic and suggested sending regular patrols to the Pacific to counter this. You can read the full text of Admiral Sir Tony Radakin’s annual RUSI lecture here.

• 19fortyfive takes a look at China’s nuclear-capable ICBMs.

North Korea

• IAEA boss Rafeal Grossi is in Seoul, where he said the nuclear watchdog would make all efforts to stop North Korea’s nuclear programme and curb global nuclear weapons proliferation.

Nuclear Energy

• The Guardian has a long read on the clean up operation at Sellafield.

• Scottish government officials have pledged to block any attempts by chemical firm Ineos to build a nuclear reactor at its Grangemouth refinery.  

• Edward Luce goes to bat for nuclear in this article in The FT on how nimbyism is impacting the rollout of an energy strategy in the US: “America’s allergy to new nuclear power is the slow-burning equivalent of Merkel’s blunder. Just 10 Americans have been killed by civil nuclear power, none from radiation. Last year tens of thousands of Americans died from air pollution. It is beyond obvious that the US must expand nuclear power if it is to reach net zero. Wind and sun on their own will not be enough.”

• A nuclear plant project in Wyoming backed by billionaire Bill Gates could be delayed by two years amid supply worries of nuclear fuel that was initially supplied by Russia.

Fusion

• Yet another article on the wonders of fusion – with The Times looking at the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (Iter) project based in France.