Nuclear Security News and Member Updates, December 2022

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It is an honor to accept the baton of leadership from Rick Cupitt, who departed the Stimson Center at the end of December to prepare for a new post. Along with so many of you, I look forward to working with him in his new role.  In taking over as Director of the Partnerships in Proliferation Prevention program at Stimson, I also very much look forward to working with all of you as Interim Director of the International Nuclear Security Forum to further our common nuclear security goals. Over the course of 2022, I have appreciated learning about the Forum through supporting its projects and events and meeting INSF members. The Forum and its membership bring unparalleled expertise and creativity to the nuclear security field and actively strengthen global nuclear security norms. I am a strong believer in the work that the INSF and its members do, and I look forward to all we have planned for 2023.

The last month of 2022 brought a milestone nuclear science achievement as the U.S. Department of Energy announced that scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory had for the first time demonstrated nuclear fusion ignition in a laboratory experiment, producing more energy from the fusion reaction than they put into it. This accomplishment may contribute to our planet’s sustainable energy future, and also has important implications for nuclear weapons stockpiles. As we embark on the new year, there are many nuclear security challenges still left to resolve, such as the continued military threat to Ukraine’s nuclear power plants and their staff. Yet in 2023, we will look ahead to opportunities to strengthen global nuclear security norms under Japan’s G7 presidency and at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s General Conference in September, as well as the continued drive by leaders in the nuclear community to open the field to voices of the next generation and from historically marginalized groups to ensure the longevity and sustainability of the nuclear field.  

With warm wishes for a more peaceful and secure 2023,

Christina

Director, International Nuclear Security Forum

Join the conversation on Twitter: @INS_Forum

Updates

• The INSF hosted its second Congressional Briefing of the year, discussing nuclear security in Ukraine for both operators and dual-use scientists on December 13, 2022. The briefing featured remarks from Mariana Budjeryn, Senior Research Associate with the Project on Managing the Atom (MTA) at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center and Tinatin Japaridze, Vice President of Business Development and Strategy at The Critical Mass LLC. The summary memo from the event will be sent to the INSF membership via the listserv in due course.

Nuclear Security News

Impact: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• Ukraine Sacks Engineer Accused of Collaborating at Occupied Nuclear Plant: “Ukraine sacked a top engineer at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Thursday, accusing him of collaborating with Russian forces, and urged other Ukrainian staff at the plant to remain loyal to Kyiv. The head of state nuclear energy firm Energoatom made the appeal a day after Russia said it had promoted Ukrainian engineer Yuriy Chernichuk to serve as director of the vast plant in southeastern Ukraine. “Instead of taking all efforts to liberate the station as fast as possible, he decided to help the Russian occupiers legalise its criminal seizure and is now inciting other atomic workers to do this,” Energoatom chief Petro Kotin said…Moscow said in October it was putting Europe’s largest nuclear power plant under the control of Russian nuclear authorities. Kyiv says the move is illegal.”
• Russia Claims Kyiv Hit Air Bases, Fires More Missiles: “Ukrainian drones struck two air bases deep inside Russian territory, the Kremlin said Monday, shortly before Russian forces unleashed a massive missile barrage in Ukraine that struck homes and buildings and killed civilians. The unprecedented attack in Russia threatened a major escalation of the nine-month war because it hit an airfield housing bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons. President Vladimir Putin has threatened to use all available means to defend his land, a remark many have interpreted to include nuclear weapons…The attacks showed the vulnerability of some of Russia’s most strategic military sites, raising questions about the effectiveness of their air defenses if drones could come so close to them.”
• IAEA’s Grossi on Ukraine: ‘We Expect That No Use of a Nuclear Weapon Will Take Place’: “Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), addressed the danger of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine in an interview with FRANCE 24 from Vienna. “We expect that no use of a nuclear weapon whatsoever will take place in this or in any other conflict,” Grossi said when asked about recent threats by Moscow. He went on to call the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant “very precarious”, adding that he was still hoping for a deal on the establishment of a demilitarised safe zone around the plant. “We need to do this now. It’s not impossible, we have a credible, viable proposal on the table,” he said.”
• Nuclear Plant at Risk From Russia’s Missile Strikes: Ukraine Energy Minister: “Western countries must send more advanced air defense systems to Ukraine to reduce the risk of Russian missile strikes hitting a nuclear power plant, the country’s energy minister said, after Ukraine endured a ninth “massive” wave of missile strikes against its energy infrastructure…[German] Galushchenko said that it was vital the country receive more air defenses going into winter to reduce the risk of a nuclear accident and to maintain electricity and heating supplies for millions of Ukrainians. “That is critical,” he said. “We need more modern systems … Countries should do everything and not wait.”…”[Russia] cannot win on the battlefield so now they start this terror against civilians,” he added. “We call it the ‘energy front.’ It only adds to the unity and more of a wish to win this war.”
• Russia Installs Shield Over Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Storage Site: “A shield is being set up over a storage site for spent nuclear waste at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine to protect it from shelling and drones, a Russian-installed official said on Saturday…Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a call on Tuesday with reporters that Russia remains in contact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is trying to broker a demilitarised zone around the power station. Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to the international organisations in Vienna, told TASS news agency on Saturday: “It’s probably too early to say that we’re approaching an agreement. And I wouldn’t predict the timing of the finalisation of the negotiation process.”
• Kyiv Says Russian ‘Kamikaze’ Drone Flies Over South Ukraine Nuclear Plant: “The Ukrainian atomic energy agency accused Russia on Monday of flouting nuclear safety by sending a “kamikaze” drone over part of the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant in the Mykolaiv region just after midnight. Energoatom said the Iranian-made Shahed drone had been detected at 00:46 early Monday over the station and said it was calling on the international nuclear community to protect atomic sites from the risks of war. “This is an absolutely unacceptable violation of nuclear and radiation safety,” Energoatom wrote on the Telegram messaging app.”
• IAEA to Base Staff at All Ukraine’s Nuclear Power Plants: “The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is going to establish a permanent presence at all operating nuclear power plants in Ukraine, as well as at Chernobyl, with the move seen as particularly important “at a time when Ukraine’s energy infrastructure is facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the war and in the middle of winter.” It means the Khmelnitsky, Rivne and South Ukraine plants will have permanent IAEA staffing, which is already the case at the Zaporizhzhia plant which is under Russian military control… The IAEA has already sent week-long nuclear safety and security missions to the four non-occupied sites over the past month, at Ukraine’s request.”

International Architecture

• New IAEA Project Builds Capacity in Site Safety Evaluation and Review for New Nuclear Installation Programs: “A new IAEA project, funded primarily by the European Commission and the United States, is working to equip regulatory authority staff in countries embarking on nuclear power programmes with the training and know-how to rigorously, scientifically and technically vet applications for new nuclear power plants, specifically including the review of hazard-related aspects of the license applications. “We found that many countries share the need to address certain hazards, such as flooding, seismic and human-induced hazards…” said Paolo Contri, the Head of the IAEA External Events Safety Section. The new project—Capacity Building on Site Safety Review and Assessment in Embarking Countries—is a three-year pilot project involving seven countries embarking on nuclear power programmes: Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco, Poland and Uzbekistan. Romania, already a country with a nuclear power programme, has been invited to join this project as it is embarking on the construction of a small modular reactor (SMR).”
• IAEA Finds Improved Nuclear Security Infrastructure in Sudan: “An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) International Nuclear Security Advisory Service (INSServ) team said Sudan had strengthened its national nuclear security regime by implementing extensive nuclear security systems and measures in relation to materials out of regulatory control. The team encouraged Sudan to further enhance its relevant nuclear security detection and response system…IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said: “Sudan’s invitation to the IAEA to conduct the first INSServ mission in the country shows its commitment to improve the national nuclear security infrastructure. Effective national arrangements for the detection of nuclear materials out of regulatory control—whether lost, missing or stolen—are imperative to strengthen the global nuclear security framework.”
• New IAEA Publication Explains Key Nuclear Safety and Security Terminology: “The IAEA Nuclear Safety and Security Glossary provides a list of terms and definitions that have been established in IAEA safety standards and nuclear security guidance published up till 2022. It also provides additional explanations on their use in the safety standards and nuclear security guidance, so that these publications can be used in a consistent and harmonized way, no matter the application.”
• New CRP: Nuclear Security Implications of Counterfeit, Fraudulent, and Suspect Items (J02019): “Organizations are invited to join the newly launched IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on the Nuclear Security Implications of Counterfeit, Fraudulent and Suspect Items (CFSIs) with the aim of establishing a holistic approach in the way that CFSIs are addressed in the nuclear supply chain. The one-year CRP is part of the IAEA’s concerted effort to overcome current and evolving challenges to nuclear security related to CFSIs. The integrity of the equipment, systems, structures, components or devices that constitute the technological measures of a physical protection regime, or facilitate the conduct of other activities involving nuclear or other radioactive material, are dependent on the supply chain. Counterfeit and fraudulent items that are produced and inserted into the supply chain can degrade and undermine the functionality and integrity of the overall sub-assembly or assembly in which they are built.”

Weapons, Materials, and Facilities

• Russia Reaffirms Support for ZNPP Security Zone: “In a recent speech at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly Russian representative Natalia Karmazinskaya said the main threat to the security of ZNPP “is the ongoing shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces, which have been carrying out attacks on the plant since mid-July, creating a real threat to its safety and risks of a man-made accident with radiation emissions.” She noted that Russia did everything in its power to effectively and safely carry out the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to ZNPP on 1 September, despite the provocations by Ukrainian forces. “As a result of his visit to the plant, the Director General of the Agency came up with an initiative to create an operational and nuclear security protection zone around the plant. Its main goal is to prevent threats to the station arising from the ongoing attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” she said. “In principle, we support this initiative,” she added, “but it is necessary to agree on the parameters of this zone so that this does not lead to a decrease in the degree of its security and an increase in the threat of terrorist acts.”
• Safety of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Hangs in Balance: “The Ukrainians insist they are extremely careful about what they shoot at, even when they receive fire from the vicinity of the Zaporizhzhia plant. On Thursday, the Ukrainian nuclear power company, Energoatom, accused Russia of bringing Grad multiple launch rocket systems near reactor number 6, which is near the area of where spent nuclear fuel is kept…The walls of the reactors are thick enough to withstand artillery fire, but a direct hit on the spent fuel containers could well lead to the release of radioactive material into the atmosphere. Since seizing control of the power station in March, the Russians have begun building a concrete shelter over the spent fuel, but Ukrainian officials say it is being done without following the normal international safety protocols.”
• Russia Says No Heavy Weapons at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant: “Russia said on Tuesday it had not placed any heavy weapons at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. Kyiv has repeatedly accused Russian forces of using the nuclear facility, which Russia seized in the first days of the conflict, as a de facto weapons depot…Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a call on Tuesday with reporters that Russia remains in contact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is trying to broker a demilitarized zone around the power station. “I want to remind you of the words of President Vladimir Putin: There hasn’t been—and aren’t—any heavy weapons at that power station. This can easily be confirmed by the IAEA staff who are there day and night,” Peskov said.”
• IAEA Chief in Korea: Nuclear Energy, Safety and Safeguards: “The Republic of Korea is a leader in nuclear energy and its peaceful application for development,” Mr Grossi said in an in-depth exchange with President Yoon on Thursday evening. The two spoke on a range of issues, including the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, which Mr Yoon fully supported. In their meeting, Mr Grossi and Mr Yoon also discussed nuclear safety in the region, as well as developments in the nuclear programme of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)—RoK’s northern neighbour. President Yoon expressed concern about developments in DPRK and asked the IAEA to participate in deterring nuclear provocation and achieving denuclearization by strengthening nuclear monitoring and inspection readiness.”
• Fusion Breakthrough at Weapons Lab Offers US a Nuclear Edge: “The most immediate winner from the Department of Energy’s fusion breakthrough fusion breakthrough is likely to be the military, which will get a new way to evaluate the US nuclear-weapons stockpile…The data yielded by the fusion test will allow scientists to model what happens during a thermonuclear explosion. That helps to ensure the nation’s more-than-5,000 aging warheads can be deployed—effectively creating a new way to gauge the arms’ shelf life. “Fusion is an essential process in modern nuclear weapons,” said Marvin Adams, the deputy administration of defense programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration. “This achievement will advance our national security. It will lead to laboratory experiments that help NNSA defense programs continue to maintain confidence in our deterrent without nuclear explosive testing.”
• US in Talks With Seoul on Deterring North Korea From Using Nukes: “The US is in discussions with South Korea on ways to deter Kim Jong Un’s regime from using nuclear weapons, according to a spokesperson for the National Security Council. Following a meeting in Cambodia last year, US President Joe Biden and South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol asked their teams to plan for an effective coordinated response to a range of scenarios, including nuclear use by North Korea, the spokesperson said, adding that the two nations aren’t discussing joint nuclear exercises because South Korea is a non-nuclear weapons state…Biden said he isn’t currently discussing joint nuclear exercises with South Korea after Yoon said his government wanted a more active role in managing atomic weapons on the Korean Peninsula. The National Security Council spokesperson said the US is fully committed to the alliance with South Korea and providing extended deterrence through the full range of US defense capabilities.”
• New Y-12 Facility to ‘Modernize’ United States Nuclear Weapons Stockpile: “A new facility to help modernizes the United States’ nuclear weapons stockpile is being built at Y-12, now that the former Biology Complex is completely gone…‘The completion of cleanup at the Biology Complex is paving the way for NNSA to begin construction of the Lithium Processing Facility,’ said NNSA Production Office Manager Teresa Robbins. ‘LPF will replace a World War II era facility with a modern capability for processing lithium materials necessary for refurbishing and modernizing the nation’s nuclear weapon stockpile.’”

Threats

• Putin: Nuclear Risk is Rising, But We are Not Mad: “The Russian president insisted that his country would only use weapons of mass destruction in response to an attack. Speaking at Russia’s annual human rights council meeting, he also said the war in Ukraine could be a “lengthy process.”…“Such a threat is growing, it would be wrong to hide it,” Putin warned while talking about the prospect of nuclear war via video link from Moscow. But he asserted that Russia would “under no circumstances” use the weapons first, and would not threaten anyone with its nuclear arsenal. “We have not gone mad, we are aware of what nuclear weapons are,” he said, adding: “We aren’t about to run around the world brandishing this weapon like a razor.”
• Hackers Stole Data From Multiple Electric Utilities in Recent Ransomware Attack: “Hackers stole data belonging to multiple electric utilities in an October ransomware attack on a US government contractor that handles critical infrastructure projects across the country, according to a memo describing the hack obtained by CNN…The previously unreported incident is a window into how ransomware attacks on critical US companies are handled behind the scenes as lawyers and federal investigators quietly spring into action to determine the extent of the damage. The ransomware attack hit Chicago-based Sargent & Lundy, an engineering firm that has designed more than 900 power stations and thousands of miles of power systems and that holds sensitive data on those projects. The firm also handles nuclear security issues, working with the departments of Defense, Energy and other agencies “to strengthen nuclear deterrence” and keep weapons of mass destruction out of terrorists’ hands, according to its website.”
• Federal Funding Picture Stabilizes For FY23 After Biden Signs Approps Bill and NDAA: “Congress passed and President Joe Biden (D) on Friday signed an appropriations bill that sets the Department of Energy’s fiscal year 2023 budget at $46.2 billion and provides year-over-year raises for nuclear weapons and nuclear-weapons cleanup programs.”

Security Culture

• China Says U.S. Nuclear Weapons Report is Speculation: “China’s defence ministry on Tuesday dismissed a Pentagon report about the pace of its nuclear weapons programme as unfair “gesticulation” and speculation. The Pentagon said in a report last month that China would likely have a stockpile of 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035 if it continues with its current pace of its nuclear buildup. The figure underscores mounting U.S. concerns about China’s intentions for its expanding nuclear arsenal, even though the projections do not suggest China is accelerating the pace of its already-brisk warhead development…The Chinese ministry said it was the United States that was the “biggest trouble maker” when it came to global security.”
• Russia is Expanding its Nuclear Arsenal, U.S. Defense Secretary Says: “Russia is also modernizing and expanding its nuclear arsenal,” Austin said at a ceremony for the incoming commander of U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees the United States nuclear arsenal. “And as the Kremlin continues its cruel and unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine, the whole world has seen Putin engage in deeply irresponsible nuclear saber-rattling,” Austin said.”
• IAEA Chief Says to Make All-Out Effort to Stop North Korea’s Nuclear Programme: “International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said on Thursday the IAEA would make an all-out effort to stop North Korea’s nuclear programme and preserve international non-proliferation, according to South Korea’s presidential office. Grossi, who is on a visit to Seoul, was responding to a request from South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol for the agency to join efforts to hold back what South Korea calls the North’s nuclear provocations and achieve its denuclearisation by strengthening monitoring activity and readiness for inspection…The IAEA has not had access to North Korea since the secretive communist state expelled its inspectors in 2009.”
• Wary of China, Japan Unveils Sweeping New National Security Strategy: “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine showed the Japanese that a Chinese takeover of Taiwan could be a reality, jolting the public into awareness and growing support for Japan to take steps to improve its defense capabilities…Meanwhile, over the past year North Korea has tested an unprecedented number of ballistic missiles as it pursues its nuclear weapons program, even sending one over Japan for the first time in five years. Japanese officials have concluded that current capabilities are insufficient, Kishida said. Japan aims to improve its long-range strike capability with both Japan-made long-range weapons and imported foreign ones, such as U.S.-built Tomahawk cruise missiles.”[CM2] [SN3] [CM4] 
• UTEP Receives $5M Department of Energy Grant to Train Next Generation Nuclear Security Workforce: “The University of Texas at El Paso in partnership with the University of New Mexico and the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will prepare the next generation of nuclear security enterprise (NSE) talent to develop electronics for extreme environments through a five-year, $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). ‘With this grant, UTEP will make substantial research contributions to national security with a special emphasis on nuclear security, extreme environment electronics and computer systems,’ said Kenith Meissner, Ph.D., dean of the UTEP College of Engineering.”

Material Minimization

• First Contracts Awarded for US Strategic Uranium Reserve: “The US Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration earlier this year issued a solicitation to purchase up to an estimated 1 million pounds (385 tU) of domestically produced U3O8, through up to four awards of 100,000 to 500,000 pounds U3O8. The US Congress in 2020 allocated USD75 million to set up the reserve…” This transaction with the DOE is highly supportive of our objective to become a long-term reliable uranium producer. We are also pleased to support the DOE’s efforts aimed at revitalising the US nuclear fuel cycle,” Managing Director and CEO Wayne Heili said.”
• Iran Enriching ‘Worrying Quantities’ of Uranium, in Further Blow for Nuclear Deal: “Rosemary DiCarlo said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has reported that Iran intends to install new centrifuges at one of its fuel enrichment plants, and plans to produce more uranium enriched up to 60 per cent, at another…The IAEA’s ability to effectively monitor Iran’s nuclear facilities and ensure that they are being used for exclusively peaceful purposes—a core element of the JCPOA—is now compromised, said Ms. Di Carlo, by Iran’s decision to remove the agency’s surveillance and monitoring equipment. “Against this backdrop, we once again call on Iran to reverse the steps it has taken since July 2019 that are not consistent with its nuclear-related commitments under the Plan”, declared Ms. Di Carlo, who also called on the United States to lift or waive its sanctions as outlined in the deal, and to extend the waivers regarding the trade in oil with Iran.”

Opinion & Analysis

• Ukraine Crisis Highlights Security Needs Of Civilian Nuclear Power: “This is not just a Russian or Ukrainian problem; this is an emerging structural problem of the international energy security system that will reoccur if nothing is done now. Supply chain disruptions of Russian natural gas and the climate change-driven pressures to decarbonize energy production is making nuclear power more attractive and will increase nuclear power production, including by Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The future ubiquity of civilian nuclear power means that currently lacking international frameworks must be overhauled—or civilian nuclear power would be un-investable and too risky.”
• If Russia Is This Bad At Conventional Warfare, What Does That Tell Us About Its Nuclear Posture?: “Western intelligence agencies did not anticipate how poorly the Russian military would perform, and are therefore reassessing the nature of the security threat that Moscow poses. However, public discussion of lessons learned has focused almost entirely on the implications for future conventional warfare. The more important question for Washington is what Russia’s debacle in Ukraine may tell us about the future of nuclear deterrence. As the Congressional Research Service notes in a recent report, ‘Russia is the only nation that poses, through its arsenal of nuclear weapons, an existential threat to the United States.’… Although Russian nuclear personnel are often described as constituting an elite part of the armed forces, they probably are subject to the same corruption and incompetence exhibited by Russian conventional forces in Ukraine…We have to assume the same rot exists everywhere, making nuclear accidents, low reliability and other problems likely.”

Member Organization Announcements and Updates

Black Sea Women in Nuclear (BSWN)

• The “Providing Energy through Warmth and Solidarity” project was initiated by BSWN in collaboration with EcoGeneration, the Ukrainian Civil Society Hub, and the Odessa Center for Nonproliferation to support Ukrainian experts working in nuclear security, safety and nonproliferation fields. Contact Margarita Kalinina-Pohl for more information.

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

• François Diaz-Maurin wrote an article titled, “The 2022 nuclear year in review: A global nuclear order in shambles” for the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists examining nuclear risk and inadequacy in the international system. Read the piece.
• John Mecklin wrote a piece for the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists entitled, “The Energy Department’s fusion breakthrough: It’s not really about generating electricity,” examining the nonproliferation implications of the recent technological development. Learn more.  [AP5]
• The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists welcomed Siegfried Hecker as chair of the organization’s illustrious Board of Sponsors. In addition to its new chair, the Board of Sponsors welcomes four new members: France Córdova, Angela Kane, Robert Rosner, and Adnan Shihab-Eldin. Learn more.

Center for Science & Security Studies (CSSS), King’s College London

• To reflect latest developments in nuclear security, an updated edition of the CSSS Nuclear Security Briefing Book (NSBB) was published on December 14, 2022. The objective of the NSBB is to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the international nuclear security framework and its evolution. Learn more.
• CSSS published Nuclear Security within Academic and Research Organisations: A Handbook of Global Case Studies, a new resource that explores how security systems are developed within universities and research institutions to protect nuclear and radiological materials, as well as related sensitive information, knowledge and technologies. Read the handbook.

Henry L. Stimson Center

• Rick Cupitt spoke virtually at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Government of Canada, and the European Union’s (EU) high-level event on December 12, 2022 to commemorate the 15th anniversary of entry into force of International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT).

James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS)

• George M. Moore wrote a piece in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists entitled, “Why the World Must Protect Nuclear Reactors From Military Attacks. Now,” examining the importance of nuclear security in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read here.

Managing the Atom (MTA)

• Matthew Bunn wrote a piece titled, “Russia’s “dirty bomb” disinformation, annotated,” in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. Read here.

Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI)

• Program Officer for Nuclear Materials Security Jessica Bufford was featured in the December 19, 2022, episode of Lowy Institute Conversations, discussing the continuing threat of nuclear weapons, global efforts at arms control and Australia’s interactions with the global non-proliferation regime around its proposed acquisition of nuclear submarine technology under the AUKUS agreement. The conversation also featured Australia’s Ambassador for Arms Control and Counter-proliferation Ian Biggs and Dr Geoffrey Shaw, Director-General of the Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office (ASNO). Listen here.
• Scott Roecker spoke at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Government of Canada, and the European Union’s (EU) high-level event on December 12, 2022 to commemorate the 15th anniversary of entry into force of International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT).

Odesa Center for Nonproliferation (OdCNP)

• Ali Alkis wrote a publication for OdCNP, “OdCNP Nuclear Security Monthly Update: November Report.” Read the report.
• Ali Alkis published “Nuclear Security and Nuclear Security Culture: An Overview” in the Journal of Nuclear Sciences. Learn more.

Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP)

• On December 6, 2022, VCDNP Senior Research Associate, Dr. Hanna Notte and CNS Director of the Middle East Nonproliferation Program, Dr. Chen Zak Kane launched the Arms Control and Regional Security (ACRS) Oral History Project – the culmination of a multi-year partnership between The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) and the Nuclear Proliferation International History Project at the Woodrow Wilson Center. Learn about the project.
• Governments, international organisations and the nuclear expert community are paying increasing attention to the value added by prioritising diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). A less discussed aspect of this is queer identity, encompassing those who are not heterosexual or cisgender. On 6 December 2022, the VCDNP hosted a panel discussion on queer identity in the nuclear weapons space to reflect on progress made, current challenges and ways to move forward. Watch the discussion.
• VCDNP Research Associate Noah Mayhew comments in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists on the AUKUS partnership with a view on the status of the provision of nuclear powered submarines to Australia. View the commentary.
• The Annual Conference of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC), a major international event that gathers every year non-proliferation and disarmament experts from governmental and non-governmental institutions worldwide, was held in Brussels on 14-15 November 2022. Mentors and Mentees of the 2022-2023 edition of the Young Women and Next Generation Initiative (YWNGI) Mentorship Programme were invited to attend the Annual Conference as well as the Next Generation Workshop, which was held back to back with the Conference. Participation in the EUNPD events gave an opportunity to Mentors and Mentees to meet in person, building upon their virtual engagement and strengthening the relations they have developed since the start of the Programme in September 2022. It also allowed them to be exposed first-hand to discussions on non-proliferation and disarmament and to meet with leading and emerging experts in the field. Learn more.
• Intercontinental ballistic missiles – known as ICBMs – are still ridiculous. This was the message from VCDNP Research Associate Noah Mayhew at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ annual event, Conversations Before Midnight. Mr. Mayhew spoke at the event as the recipient of the Bulletin’s Leonard M. Rieser Award, which he was awarded for his July 2021 article “A millennial’s view: ICBMs are ridiculous,” also published in the Bulletin. See the event recording.
• The VCDNP hosted a webinar with Dr. Rebecca Davis Gibbons to present her new book The Hegemon’s Toolkit, which explores the history of US engagement to create, strengthen, and adapt the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. Watch here.
• VCDNP Senior Research Associate Federica Dall’Arche published a book titled Non-Proliferazione, Controllo degli Armamenti e Disarmo Umanitario: una breve guida pratica, the first resource in Italian on non-proliferation, arms control and humanitarian disarmament. The book was published by the Italian National Association of Civil War Victims. Learn more.

Individual Member Updates

• Artem Lazarev shared the following updates from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC):
  • On 23 November 2022, UNODC conducted an EU-funded country visit to Iceland to promote adherence to, and effective implementation of, the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT).
  • On 6-7 December, UNODC conducted (together with the Ghana’s Nuclear Regulatory Authority) a national workshop on facilitating adherence to and implementation of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) in Accra, Ghana. The EU-funded workshop was followed by bilateral meetings with national stakeholders. ICSANT is the only one of the 19 international legal instruments against terrorism that the country is not yet party to.
  • From 29 November to 1 December 2022, UNODC held a mock trial on ICSANT. The three-day event, which gathered 15 criminal justice officers from 8 countries, revolved around a fictional yet realistic scenario, and covered a number of cross-border issues and challenges that can arise during the investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of crimes related to ICSANT. The event was made possible thanks to the financial and in-kind support from the Government of Canada.
  • UNODC contributed to the 7th International CBRN Safety and Security Conference, which was a hybrid event held both online and in Baghdad from 5-7 December.
  • On 12 December, UNODC co-hosted (together with the Government of Canada and the European Union) a high-level event to commemorate the 15th anniversary of entry into force of ICSANT. This event offered a platform to discuss progress made since 2007, celebrate the convention’s successes, and chart the future of promoting ICSANT and strengthening the global nuclear security architecture. The event was opened by UNODC’s Executive Director, the Ambassador of Canada and the EU Special Envoy for Nonproliferation and Disarmament and gathered over 100 participants who attended in person or virtually.
• Dr. Muhammad Muhammadi, Associate Director of Research at the Centre for International Strategic Studies, Islamabad published a piece, “Pakistan Is a Responsible Nuclear Power,” in The National Interest. Read the article.

Opportunities

• The Stanley Center for Peace and Security launched applications for its 2023 cohort of the Accelerator Initiative. The initiative offers a career development opportunity for early-career women or nonbinary people working in nuclear weapons policy. The 2023 Accelerator Initiative will focus on nuclear risk reduction. By participating in our policy dialogues, accelerators will hone and demonstrate their expertise, expand their networks, elevate their profiles, and deepen their interest in nuclear risk reduction issues. Learn more.
• OdCNP will organize the International Educational Workshop “War on Ukraine and the Nuclear World Order,” which is to be held in Paris on February 6-7, 2023. Apply here.
• The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has opened applications for its Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow. Learn about the role.
• George Washington University is searching for a Program Manager for Nuclear Security Engagement. Apply for the role.
• MIT has opened applications for its Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow. Learn about the role.
• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has a vacancy for a security specialist. View the vacancy.
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is seeking a Nuclear Security Technologies Program Manager. Learn more.