CND Press Digest: Monday 6th February 2023

War in Ukraine / NATO

• Former Russian president Dimitri Medvedev said the West sending more heavy weapons to Ukraine would only trigger further retaliatory strikes from Russia that would see the country burn.
• The New York Times on Vladimir Putin’s nuclear red lines and how US policy makers and intelligence agencies are balancing avoiding nuclear war and supporting Ukraine.

AUKUS 

• US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said the US and Australia have made “significant progress” on supplying nuclear-powered subs to Canberra. It followed a meeting between Austin and his Australian counterpart ,Richard Marles, in Wasington on Saturday.
• ABC on the news that the design for Australia’s nuclear submarines could be made with input from all three members of the AUKUS pact with Ricahrd Marles saying “there’ll be a lot in this for Australia.”
• China has spoken out against the AUKUS pact, saying it “firmly objects” to co-operation between the US, UK and Australia on nuclear submarines.

Pakistan

• The Financial Times on the growing economic crisis and political instability in nuclear-armed Pakistan.

UK Nuclear Energy

• Campaigners opposed to the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant have warned that 11 billion fish could be killed during the plant’s lifetime. They said the deaths will occur if the plant’s operator manages to change planning conditions that require them to install acoustic deterrent systems to keep marine life out of the plant’s water turbines.
• The warning comes after five swans were killed after flying into power lines at Hinkley Point.
• Meanwhile, Sizewell C officials say building of the plant is likely to commence soon - despite the government struggling to find additional financiers to make up a funding shortfall.

Nuclear Energy

• Turkey’s unfinished Akkuyu nuclear plant so far remains undamaged from Monday’s earthquake, according to the plant’s builders Rosatom.
• Belgium is considering keeping its oldest nuclear plants open for at least three more years.

Iran Nuclear Deal

• The US, France, the UK, and others have backed an IAEA report which found Iran is being inconsistent in meeting its nuclear obligations.

Fukushima

• Micronesia has dropped its opposition to a Japanese plan to dump millions of gallons of radioactive water into the sea.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament