CND Press Digest: Thursday 7th September 2023

War In Ukraine/NATO

• The chief of the general staff of the Polish armed forces has said that NATO should respond more aggressively to Russia – including flying more aircraft with nuclear weapons. On the nuclear issue, Gen Rajmund Andrzejczak said: “In the 70s and 80s, 30% of B-52 bombers were flying permanently and had nuclear weapons with pilots ready to act. Today we have a challenge to say the word B61 [the primary US thermonuclear gravity bomb], so let us change narratives…What is wrong with us? Russia is still the same and we have a situation in a neighbouring country where Russia is saying publicly it is putting nuclear systems in Belarus and what are we doing in our panama T-shirt? I don’t want to escalate too much, but what is wrong with our vocabulary? Nato is a nuclear organisation. Full stop.”
• The Moscow Times: The West’s reliance on Russian nuclear fuel funds Moscow’s war.
• Declassified UK on the story that a Challenger 2 tank has been destroyed in Ukraine. The tank is capable of firing depleted uranium ammo – sparking concerns over potential battlefield contamination.

Nuclear Weapons

• Beyond Nuclear republished a piece by M.V. Ramana on nuclear weapons. 

AUKUS

• Allies AUKUS milestones to keep 20-year plan on track.
• AUKUS deal not moving through US Congress as smoothly as hoped, senator warns.
• Never say never to an Asian NATO, writes Foreign Policy.

UK Nuclear Energy

•  A campsite on the edge of a Somerset beauty spot could rapidly expand to accommodate the growing Hinkley Point C workforce.
• UNITE is calling for a deal for electricians who certify tools for use in nuclear plants in order to avert a strike.
• In the UK, an estimated 744,000m3 of nuclear waste must be safely containedbetween now and 2140.

Nuclear Energy

• The Telegraph: How Saudi Arabia got caught in middle of nuclear tug-of-warbetween US and China.
• Fears over a repeat of last year’s low nuclear availability in France during the winter The Mirror on fears that North Korea will exert nuclear technology from Russia as part of any deal to supply the Kremlin with military equipment.

Iran Nuclear Deal

• Reuters analysis: Iran’s nuclear slowdown may prop up US hopes to ease tensions.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament