Nuclear Security News & Member Updates Roundup, March 2023

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I am pleased to bring you another edition of the INSF newsletter, which once again underscores the significant and constructive contributions of civil society to maintaining and strengthening nuclear security norms.  The importance of this work is clear based on even a quick glance through the headlines we have compiled. The conflict in Ukraine, nuclear posturing, and the AUKUS agreement, to name a few, are stoking geopolitical tensions while the situation at the embattled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plan seems to be worsening. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi visited in the last days of March, his second visit to the facility over the past year, and reported an increase in military activity around the plant and pervasive and worrying talk of “offensives and counteroffensives.”

With warm wishes for continued success in your efforts,

Christina

Interim Director, International Nuclear Security Forum

Join the conversation on Twitter: @INS_Forum

Updates

• The International Nuclear Security Forum is opening submissions for the Second Edition of the Catalogue of Civil Society Activities to Strengthen Nuclear Security. The first edition, published in 2021, was well-received by the IAEA, state representatives, and Forum members. To continue producing this resource, we kindly ask that INSF members, on behalf of their organizations, fill out the survey to share their activities for the forthcoming 2023 publication. Fill out the form.
  • Want to learn more? The 2021 Catalogue of Civil Society Activities to Strengthen Nuclear Security is available online. Explore here.
• The INSF also welcomes its newest member organization:
  • The Georgian Center for Strategy and Development  (GCSD). GCSD is a consulting company dedicated to strengthening international security with expertise on a range of CBRN issues.  Learn more.

Nuclear Security News

Impact: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• Conditions at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Have Deteriorated, Ukraine Says: “Ukrainian authorities say the condition of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine has deteriorated significantly in the year since Russian forces occupied it, and Moscow’s aim may be to make it unusable by the time it is eventually returned to Ukraine. Russian soldiers have recently set up machine guns on the grounds of the plant, placed military equipment in engine rooms, covered windows with sandbags and even carried out indoor welding work that has set off fire alarms, Ukraine’s state nuclear company, Energoatom, said … in a post on the Telegram social messaging app. Those actions come on top of damage from shelling last summer, including to an area where spent nuclear fuel is stored; disruptions to the plant’s management in power struggles with Russian occupiers; and the shutdown of the complex’s six reactors.”
• U.S. Intel Chiefs Warn Putin is Expanding His Nuclear Weapons Arsenal as the War in Ukraine Drags On: “Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to further upgrade the Kremlin’s arsenal of long-range nuclear-capable missiles in order to deter Kyiv and its powerful Western allies, U.S. officials warned ‘Throughout its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has continued to show that it views its nuclear capabilities as necessary for maintaining deterrence and achieving its goals in a potential conflict against the U.S. and NATO and it sees its nuclear weapons arsenal as the ultimate guarantor of the Russian Federation,’ the nation’s top intelligence agency wrote in its annual threat report.”
• Ukraine’s Top Nuclear Plant Lost Power for the Sixth Time. Is Disaster Imminent?: “Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles on Ukrainian cities…killing at least six people and taking out critical infrastructure across 10 regions, local authorities said. The attack knocked out power across parts of Ukraine, including at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station. Ukrainian grid operator Ukrenergo said the facility was connected back to the power grid…Shelling has damaged the plant at least six times since then, temporarily cutting off the four high-voltage power lines that connect Zaporizhzhia to Ukraine’s energy grid. The power lines are essential to the plant’s safety and cooling systems—the longer the plant goes without power, the higher the chance of a possible nuclear meltdown.”
• Update 152 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine: “The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, said his visit to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP)…had confirmed his assessment of the seriousness of the nuclear safety and security situation at Europe’s largest such facility at a time of increased military activity in the region…Director General Grossi said he remained determined to press ahead with his diplomatic efforts to protect the six-reactor plant and help prevent a nuclear accident that could have severe consequences on people and the environment in Ukraine and elsewhere…The Director General said he had been working with both countries in recent months on proposals to ensure nuclear safety and security at the ZNPP. He said the plan to achieve this vital objective had evolved from an initial proposal to establish a zone around the plant to now focus more on what should be avoided to ensure its protection, rather than on territorial aspects. “It is work in progress. It is very, very important that we agree on the fundamental principle that a nuclear plant should not be attacked under any circumstances, and it also shouldn’t be used to attack others,” he said. “A nuclear accident with radiological consequences will spare no one.”
• Soldiers Massing Near Ukrainian Nuclear Plant, U.N. Officials Warn: “Russia and Ukraine are ramping up their military forces in southern Ukraine amid signs that the fighting may soon escalate, a United Nations official said on Wednesday after crossing a front line held by the Ukrainian military to inspect a nuclear power plant seized by Moscow. “It is obvious that military activity is increasing in this whole region, so every possible measure and precaution should be taken so that the plant is not attacked and can be protected,” said the official, Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency… For months, Mr. Grossi, the U.N. nuclear official, has warned that shelling around the plant — some of which has hit critical equipment — was unprecedented in the history of civilian nuclear power and could lead to a catastrophic nuclear accident. At a news conference during his visit to the plant on Wednesday, he voiced fresh concerns. “There is open talk about offensives and counteroffensives,” Mr. Grossi said.

International Architecture

• IAEA Chief Holds ‘Constructive’ Talks in Iran After Uranium Enrichment Findings: “The UN nuclear watchdog chief has said he has had ‘constructive’ meetings with Iranian officials in Tehran after the discovery of uranium particles enriched to near weapons-grade level. The two-day visit by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, comes as the Vienna-based organisation seeks greater cooperation with Iran over its nuclear activities. “By having a constructive discussion … and having good agreements, like I am sure we are going to have, we are going to be paving the way for important agreements,” Grossi told a news conference…alongside the head of Iran’s atomic energy organisation, Mohammad Eslami… “Tehran denies wanting to acquire atomic weapons, and said it had not made any attempt to enrich uranium beyond 60% purity. Iran’s government noted that “unintended fluctuations … may have occurred” during the enrichment process. The discovery came after Iran had substantially modified an interconnection between two centrifuge clusters enriching uranium, without declaring it to the IAEA.”
• Arabic Speaking Countries Discuss Nuclear Security Plans: “Member countries of the Arab Network of Nuclear Regulators (ANNuR) met recently in Tunisia to exchange best practices, challenges and opportunities related to the implementation of nuclear security activities within the framework of their respective Integrated Nuclear Security Support Plans (INSSPs). The meeting highlighted the importance of regional approaches to improve regulatory and operational capacities – approaches which are inherent in the IAEA nuclear security programme.”… “Cooperation with regional networks like ANNuR further strengthens the effectiveness of the INSSP support mechanism, creating opportunities to identify and discuss common needs and challenges among countries of geographic proximity or countries with the same language.”
• The Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation Advances the National Security Memorandum to Counter WMD Terrorism and Advance Nuclear and Radioactive Material Security: “The Department’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) is bolstering its diplomacy and programs in support of the National Security Memorandum (NSM) 19 to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism and Advance Nuclear and Radioactive Material Security worldwide. The NSM coalesces U.S. policies to prevent and counter the use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons by non-state actors.”
• China Says AUKUS on ‘Dangerous Path’ with Nuclear Subs Deal: “The United States, Australia and the United Kingdom are traveling ‘further down the wrong and dangerous path for their own geopolitical self-interest,’ China’s Foreign Ministry said… responding to an agreement under which Australia will purchase nuclear-powered attack submarines from the U.S. to modernize its fleet. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the arrangement, given the acronym AUKUS—for Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States—arises from the ‘typical Cold War mentality which will only motivate an arms race, damage the international nuclear nonproliferation regime, and harm regional stability and peace.’…Wang repeated China’s claims that AUKUS poses a ‘serious risk of nuclear proliferation and violating the object and purpose of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.’”
• Watchdog Pledged ‘Demanding’ Oversight of Nuclear Sub: “The head of the global nuclear regulatory agency pledged … to be ‘very demanding’ in overseeing the United States’ planned transfer of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, amid complaints that the U.S. move could clear the way for bad actors to escape nuclear oversight in the future.  [The AUKUS agreement] would be the first transfer by a nuclear-weapon state of nuclear-powered submarines to a non-nuclear state… China renewed its objections to the deal on Wednesday, accusing the three countries of “coercing” the IAEA into endorsing the arrangement. All member states of the IAEA should work to find a solution to the “safeguards issues” and “maintain international peace and security,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing. [IAEA Director-General Rafael] Grossi rejected China’s accusation. ‘Nobody coerces me. Nobody coerces the IAEA,’ he told reporters. AUKUS—the name used by the three-country grouping of the U.S., Australian and the United Kingdom—had ‘committed to the highest standard of transparency’ in the deal, he said.”

Weapons, Materials, & Facilities

• Russia to Station Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Belarus: “Russia has reached an agreement with Belarus to station tactical nuclear weapons on its smaller neighbour’s territory, so bringing some of its arsenal closer to the rest of Europe, Vladimir Putin has said. The Russian president made the announcement on state television, arguing that it would not breach non-proliferation agreements and that it would match similar arrangements that the US has with several of its European allies. Putin said he was acting after negotiations with Belarus’s president, Alexander Lukashenko, who he said had ‘long raised the question’ of a nuclear deployment on his country’s territory. ‘There is nothing unusual here either: firstly, the United States has been doing this for decades,’ Putin said. ‘They have long deployed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allied countries.’… ‘We agreed that we will do the same – without violating our obligations, I emphasize, without violating our international obligations on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons,’ the Russian president added.”
• The Push to Rebuild the U.S.’s Nuclear Stockpile: “Much of America’s nuclear arsenal is decades out of date. A huge and urgent push to rebuild it has started, but there aren’t enough workers with the skills and mechanical aptitude to do this work.”
• A Look at the Uranium-Based Ammo the UK Will Send to Ukraine: “Russia threatened to escalate attacks in Ukraine after the British government announced it would provide to Ukraine a type of munition that Moscow falsely claims has nuclear components. The British defense ministry…confirmed it would provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium. Such rounds were developed by the U.S. during the Cold War to destroy Soviet tanks, including the same T-72 tanks that Ukraine now faces in its push to break through a stalemate in the east. Depleted uranium is a byproduct of the uranium enrichment process needed to create nuclear weapons. The rounds retain some radioactive properties, but they can’t generate a nuclear reaction like a nuclear weapon would, RAND nuclear expert and policy researcher Edward Geist said. That didn’t stop the Russians from offering a full-throated warning that the rounds were opening the door to further escalation. In the past, they have suggested the war could escalate to nuclear weapons use.”

Lost & Found: Material Security Developments

• A Camera Containing Radioactive Material is Missing in the Houston Area: “An industrial camera that contains sealed-off radioactive material has been missing for several days in the Houston area after workers noticed it was gone from their work site, the Texas Department of State Health Services said. Multiple layers of protection surround the radioactive material, and levels of radiation outside the camera are not dangerous to the public at large, the department said, but it should be handled with caution by whoever has it. The device, called a radiographic camera, was reported missing on Thursday after the workers had been north of downtown Houston. It had not been found as of [March 12]. “The radioactive material is sealed inside a capsule, which is in turn sealed inside the camera with protective shielding and other safety features,” the department said in a statement…”
• Libyan General Says 2.5 Tonnes of Missing Uranium Found Near Storage Base: “More than 2 tonnes of natural uranium reported missing by the UN’s nuclear watchdog in war-torn Libya have been found, a general in the country’s east has said. Gen Khaled al-Mahjoub, the commander of eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar’s communications division, said the containers of uranium had been recovered barely 5km (3 miles) from where they had been stored in southern Libya, and after the International Atomic Energy Agency reported their disappearance earlier…The director general of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, told the organisation’s member states that inspectors… found that 10 drums containing approximately 2.5 tonnes of uranium ore concentrate “were not present as previously declared.”
• Radioactive Cesium-137 Device Missing from Thai Steam Plant: “Local Thai media is reporting that a device used at a steam power plant in Prachin Buri Province has gone missing. The device, ‘used to detect steam leaks at the plant’, reportedly comprises Cesium-137 which is a radioactive isotope of cesium that is formed as one of the more common fission products by the nuclear fission of uranium-235 and other fissionable isotopes in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. According to Mr. Ron Ron Nakhonchinda, the governor of Prachin Buri Province along with Mr. Permsuk Sajjapiwat, Secretary-General of the Office of Atoms for Peace…the device may have fallen off of its wall mount and a worker may have taken it home. The postulated: ‘As for how this substance disappeared, I know it’s an old pipe and it fell off the installation. The officer assumed that people who see it may not know what it is, so they keep it without knowing its purpose.’”
• Serbia-Croatia Border Arrests Over Radioactive Material Found in Car: “Three Croatian nationals have been arrested in Serbia after radioactive material was discovered in their car, Serbian officials say. They were about to enter Croatia … when scanners detected a ‘serious amount’ of radiation. A subsequent search of an Audi car revealed the head of a radioactive lightning rod in the spare tyre slot of the boot, Serbian customs said. Such rods were widely used in the past, but are now largely being dismantled…A statement by Serbian customs authorities said stationary monitors had sounded as the car was being checked before exiting the country. A subsequent search revealed the head of the lightning rod, as well as a device for measuring the composition of the metal. A hand-held device used for measuring radiation ionisation had reacted to that substance, it added.”
• Alert in Central Mexico After Theft of Radioactive Material: “An alert has been issued in several states in central Mexico due to the theft of four containers with radioactive sources, according to officials. The sources of at least two of the containers can be dangerous to people…The statement was directed to authorities and the general public in at least 7 states, including Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Michoacan, and Zacatecas, warning of possible health damage and even death if there is direct contact with the radioactive sources. “If the radioactive source is removed from its container, manipulated or in direct contact with it for minutes to hours, it can cause permanent injuries,” the statement warned. “If in direct contact with the source for hours or days, its effects can be lethal.” Although all four containers carry Iridium-192 radioactive sources, only two are considered dangerous. One of these is classified as category 2 under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) scheme, which indicates it is highly dangerous to humans. Another container is classified as category 3, indicating danger, while the other two are in category 4, which indicates that the possibility of permanent injuries is very rare.”

Threats

• Russia’s Security Chief Blasts West, Dangles Nuclear Threats: “A top Russian security official warned…about the rising threat of a nuclear war and blasted a German minister for threatening Russian President Vladimir Putin with arrest, saying that such action would amount to a declaration of war and trigger a Russian strike on Germany. Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council chaired by Putin, said in video remarks to reporters that Russia’s relations with the West have hit an all-time bottom. Asked whether the threat of a nuclear conflict has eased, Medvedev responded: ‘No, it hasn’t decreased, it has grown. Every day when they provide Ukraine with foreign weapons brings the nuclear apocalypse closer.”

Security Culture

• 8th Air Force Commander Relieves Two Commanders at Minot: “Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Gebara, commander of 8th Air Force, relieved two commanders today from their positions of leadership at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, due to a loss of confidence in their ability to complete their assigned duties. ‘These personnel actions were necessary to maintain the very high standards we demand of those units entrusted with supporting our Nation’s nuclear mission,’ said Gebara. Gebara relieved the Commanders of the 5th Mission Support Group and the 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron. Additionally, four additional subordinate leaders were relieved by commanders assigned to Minot Air Force Base. To protect the privacy of the individuals, further details will not be released. ‘Eighth Force continues to safeguard global combat power and conduct around-the-clock strategic deterrence operations in a safe, secure and effective manner,’ Gebara said.  ‘Our mission is foundational to our Nation’s defense, and we remain committed to the success of that no-fail mission.’”
• US Nuclear Bases to Get Security Networking Upgrade from Persistent: “The U.S. Air Force tapped communications-technology company Persistent Systems to provide seamless networking for security operations at the nation’s three intercontinental ballistic missile bases in a contract worth nearly $76 million. To link security personnel on the missile fields with faraway operations centers and to keep an eye out for intruders, Persistent is rolling out its Infrastructure-based Regional Operation Network, or IRON, which uses antenna systems on fixed towers or poles to enable widespread sharing of voice and video, as well as sensor and GPS data. The company this month said some 700 IRON assets will be installed across Malmstrom, Minot and F.E. Warren Air Force bases, in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming, respectively. The project, part of the Air Force’s Regional Operating Picture program, will connect 75 operations centers and more than 1,000 security vehicles across a combined area of about 25,000 square miles..
• China Supports IAEA’s Efforts to Ensure Nuclear Security in Ukraine: “China announced the contribution of 200,000 euros to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for its technical assistance to Ukraine, in support of the IAEA’s efforts to address the issue of safety and security of nuclear power plants or other peaceful nuclear facilities in Ukraine…On February 24, 2023, Chinese Foreign Ministry released a 12-point position paper on a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. “China opposes armed attacks against nuclear power plants or other peaceful nuclear facilities,” the paper said, adding that China supports IAEA “in playing a constructive role in promoting the safety and security of peaceful nuclear facilities.”
• Nerds, Ninjas, and Neutrons: The Story of NEST, The Nuclear Emergency Support Team: “The note affixed to the metal box was chilling: “Do not move or tilt this bomb, because the mechanism controlling the detonators…will set it off at a movement of less than .01 of the open end Ricter [sic] scale.” Addressed to the management of Harvey’s Resort Hotel near Lake Tahoe, where men pretending to deliver a copy machine had placed the box on August 26, 1980, the message warned the bomb squad not to try to dismantle the device. “This bomb can never be dismantled or disarmed without causing an explosion. Not even by the creator.” In return for $3 million in cash, the extortionist promised to reveal the correct combination of toggle switches on the outside of the box that would allow it to be safely transported away from the casino. Responding to the scene were bomb technicians from the FBI, the US military, and NEST—an obscure unit from the Department of Energy then known as the Nuclear Emergency Search Team…The bomb’s designer, a Hungarian immigrant and World War II Luftwaffe pilot who later claimed to have lost $750,000 at the casino, had filled the box with close to a half-ton (450 kilograms) of dynamite. He also outfitted it with multiple independent triggers designed to detonate the bomb if an attempt were made to defuse it.”
• NNSA’s Head of Nuclear Security Announces Retirement: “The National Nuclear Security Administration’s longest-serving associate administrator Jeffrey Johnson, the chief of nuclear security, announced his retirement…Johnson served eight years at NNSA following a 20-year career in uniform and seven years as a civilian employee with the U.S. Marine Corps, according to a statement from the NNSA. The NNSA did not specify a retirement date for Johnson or say who might replace him as head of security. Whoever steps into the role will be responsible for all agency security programs, including physical protection of the U.S. nuclear weapons complex and control of nuclear materials.”

Material Minimization

• New U.S. Policy Focuses on Securing Radioactive Materials Used in Industries: “The U.S. government’s decades-long effort to prevent terrorists from building nuclear weapons has officially added a new dimension: keeping radioactive materials used in commercial industries out of their hands as well. The Department of Energy will lead a nationwide effort to remove certain highly radioactive materials from hospitals and other civilian sites, Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, the homeland security adviser, said on Thursday during an address at the Nuclear Threat Initiative in Washington, D.C. ‘The challenge of reducing and countering the threat of a terrorist acquisition and use of a weapon of mass destruction is an existential one,’ Ms. Sherwood-Randall said. ‘It has been on our agenda for decades, and it will persist as far into the future as we can see.’ ‘President Biden is reaffirming longstanding wisdom that reducing, eliminating and securing nuclear and radioactive materials continues to be the most effective means to prevent their acquisition and use,’ she added.”
• Russia Reportedly Supplying Enriched Uranium to China: “Various open-source outlets reported how Rosatom is providing highly enriched uranium for Chinese fast breeder reactors, said a U.S official during a posture hearing today at the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces… ‘It’s very troubling to see Russia and China cooperating on this,’ John F. Plumb, assistant secretary of defense for space policy, replied. ‘They may have talking points around it, but there’s no getting around the fact that breeder reactors are plutonium, and plutonium is for weapons. So I think the [Defense] Department is concerned. And of course, it matches our concerns about China’s increased expansion of its nuclear forces as well, because you need more plutonium for more weapons,’ Plumb added. China and Russia have placed nuclear weapons, space warfare and long-range strike at the center of their strategies to counter the United States and its allies and partners, he said.”

Emerging Technologies

• Rolls-Royce Gets Funding to Develop Miniature Nuclear Reactor for Moon Base: “The U.K. Space Agency has decided to continue funding a project by Rolls-Royce to create a small nuclear-powered reactor that could serve as a long-term energy source for lunar bases. The new boost to Rolls-Royce’s research pot follows a previous $303,495 (£249,000) study funded by the U.K. Space Agency in 2022. With the new funds, the company hopes to have a demonstration model for a modular micro-reactor ready to deliver to the moon by 2029. In a March 17 press release, Rolls-Royce and the U.K. Space Agency state that the micro-reactor program will help to “develop technology that will provide power needed for humans to live and work on the moon…There is also the matter of outfitting the micro-reactor to operate in the lunar environment. Currently, a majority of space travel is powered by solar energy. A nuclear power source allows for more versatility in missions, and less reliance on the sun.”

Member Organization Announcements and Updates

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS)

• Zachary Kallenborn wrote an article titled, “The Biden Administration Overestimates Radiological Terrorism Risks and Underplays Biothreats,” which looked at the new national security memorandum to counter weapons of mass destruction (WMD) terrorism. Read here.

Global Nuclear Security Partners (GNSP)

• On March 9, 2023, GNSP appeared on UK Sky News to discuss the most recent Russian-caused damage at Zaporizhzhia NPP. Watch here.
• GNSP contributed to a piece from CNN on the anniversary of the Russian attack and seizure of Zaporizhzhia NPP. Click here to learn more.
• GNSP spoke with the Eastern Africa Association of Radiation Protection members about nuclear threat reduction and the benefits of nuclear in Africa. Follow the link to explore.

Henry L. Stimson Center

• The Partnerships in Proliferation Prevention program invites U.S.-based INSF members and other eligible individuals to participate in a survey tied to its research study, “Structural Bias in the Nuclear Security Community: Challenges and Opportunities for Reform,” and to share the survey link within their professional networks.  Access the informed consent form and survey here.
• Allison Pytlak, the Program Lead for Cyber with the Stimson Center, delivered remarks at the UN’s 2021-2025 Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) which focused on a range of cyber threats and risks in the context of international peace and security. Learn more here.

Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project

• Alan J. Kuperman, Associate Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and Coordinator of the Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project published an article on AUKUS, “Fixing a Fatal, Nuclear Flaw in AUKUS” in Breaking Defense on March 7, 2023. Read his piece.
• On March 14, 2023, Alan J. Kuperman was interviewed for the segment, “Australian Nuclear Submarines to Cost up to $368 Billion as Further Details Revealed” on ABC-TV News (Australia). Watch here.
• On March 15, 2023, Alan provided his expertise for the news channel CGTN-Europe on “AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Deal: ‘It’s Going to Cause More Security Problems.’” Watch his remarks.

Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI)

• On March 1, 2023, Senior Director Nickolas Roth presented at a World Institute for Nuclear Security online workshop, titled “Ensuring the Security of Radioactive Sources during Civil Unrest and Wartime.” Click here to learn more about the event.
• On March 6-7, 2023, NTI and Argentina Global co-hosted a regional workshop focused on steps Latin America can take to strengthen the Amended Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.
• From April 12-14, 2023, NTI will host in Vienna, Austria its 16^th Global Dialogue on Nuclear Security Priorities. The Global Dialogue will bring together dozens of government officials and non-governmental experts from around the world to discuss the most important nuclear security issues of the day. Follow the event.

Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS)

• Alex Barrow, Development Lead—Government, Security, and Resilience at Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS) shared that NTS in February was asked to support an IAEA regional workshop in Cyprus to provide provide training in conducting transport security system inspections. The workshop brought together practitioners, regulators, officials and technical agency personnel from several countries across the Balkan region. A member of the NTS security team attended the workshop as a subject matter expert, drawing on their experience as both a security regulator and transport security specialist. By supporting this training event, the NTS security team were able to share their extensive operational experience in planning and delivering safe, secure and reliable transport operations, and help ensure the highest standards of transport security for radioactive materials internationally.
• As part of NTS’s support to the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Office of International Nuclear Security, in March, NTS organised and facilitated a 4-day technical exchange visit to the UK by a small team of nuclear experts from NNSA, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. During the visit, the US team were able to visit UK nuclear sites and hold productive technical exchange sessions with security practitioners from Sellafield, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, the National Nuclear Laboratory, and Nuclear Transport Solutions itself. During these sessions, the US and UK teams exchanged views on current threats, challenges and opportunities in nuclear security, and compared practices in insider threat mitigation, cyber security, transport security and armed response. Both sides identified areas for further collaboration which will be pursued in future exchange visits.

Odesa Center for Nonproliferation (OdCNP)

• Ali Alkis of the Odesa Center for Nonproliferation (OdCNP), published the article, “Non-Western Approach to Nuclear Security” on the topic of why there are different approaches to nuclear security in different parts of the world. Read the piece.

Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP)

• On January 24, 2023, the VCDNP hosted a panel, “Expanding Access to Peaceful Uses: Role of the Nuclear Regulatory Body in Fostering Supportive Nuclear Safety and Security Cultures,” to discuss the experience of nuclear regulators in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Malaysia in addressing nuclear safety and security and the support provided to them by the IAEA. Explore the panel’s discussion.
• On February 1, 2023, VCDNP Senior Research Associate Hanna Notte spoke at a briefing on the future of the New START Treaty, “Challenges and Prospects for Further U.S.-Russian Nuclear Arms Control. Learn more.
• On February 22, 2023, Hanna Notte published an article, “US-Russian Relations Can Still Get Worse” for War on the Rocks on the end of compartmentalization in US-Russian relations, Read her article.
• On February 27, 2023, Hanna Notte wrote “Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine – The Iran Nuclear Price Tag,” for the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung on how the war against Ukraine has influenced Russia’s approach towards efforts to restore the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA). Click here to read.
• On February 28, 2023, a new study, “Understanding States’ Experiences in Safeguards: Challenges to and Opportunities for Entry into Force and Implementation” by the VCDNP with VERTIC was published that provides recommendations for maximising the effect of outreach and capacity building activities in safeguards. Read the report here. Explore the launch here.
• On the February 21, 2023, episode of Machiavelli in the Ivory Tower, hosts Sarah Bidgood (CNS) and Hanna Notte spoke with Nicholas Miller, associate professor in the Department of Government at Dartmouth College. Their conversation focused on the proliferation implications of Russia’s war against Ukraine one year on. Listen to the episode.
• From February 20 to 24, 2023, the VCDNP held its third specialised short course on “Safeguards for Policymakers: What You Need to Know.” Learn more.

Individual Member Updates

• Artem Lazarev from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shared the following updates:
  • On March 6, 2023, UNODC contributed to the virtual Latin America workshop on the Amended Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (A/CPPNM) entitled “Promotion and Strengthening the Nuclear Security Regime in a Changing World,” which was hosted by Fundación Argentina Global and the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI). UNODC delivered presentations on UNODC’s work to promote universalisation and implementation of A/CPPNM and synergies with the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, as well as its technical and legislative assistance services, and participated in the open discussion on practical challenges to joining and effectively implementing the two treaties.
  • On March 14-15, 2023, UNODC contributed to the Workshop on Strengthening the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) among Member States of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which was hosted by the Republic of Kenya in collaboration with IGAD and UN Office on Disarmament Affairs in Nairobi, Kenya.
• On March 27-28, 2023, Bahram Ghiassee, Associate Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society and visiting academic at the Physics Department, University of Surrey, UK, delivered a series of lectures on “Safety, Nuclear & Radiological Security, and Nuclear Non-Proliferation.”

Opportunities

• INSF member Dmitry Kovchegin, is looking for unpaid intern/paid research assistant. Specific arrangements will depend on applicant’s current interests, qualification and tax residency status. The research assistant will provide support on a variety of research projects related to nuclear security and international cooperation in this area. Key requirements are knowledge of Russian language (the position requires work with substantial amounts of information in Russian and good reading proficiency is needed), good English writing skills and interest in nuclear security. Understanding technical aspects of nuclear security is a plus. 5-10 hours weekly commitment is expected, and the term is flexible (ranging from short term projects through longer term employment). Dmitry Kovchegin is willing to provide advice on the applicant’s own research, share his experience and provide opportunity for practicing Russian. Ukrainian and Russian nationals affected by the war in Ukraine are encouraged to apply. Please email at: [email protected] with “INTERN/RESEARCH ASSISTANT” in the subject line to apply.
• The Partnership for Global Security (PGS) is seeking candidates for the Della Ratta Global Energy and Security Fellowship. This is a position that crosscuts a number of traditional disciplines. It is a unique opportunity for an early career candidate with an interest in addressing the intersection of new global realities and emerging technology and geopolitical issues. The Fellow will conduct policy research on issues at the intersection of nuclear energy and commerce, climate change, and global security. Applicants must have demonstrated experience in the ability to perform research across a variety of disciplines, including nuclear energy, its role in achieving zero-carbon objectives, and the international security impacts of the technology’s expansion. The fellow will contribute to the work of an internationally recognized non-governmental organization with an ambitious, forward-looking agenda. This is a six-month stipend-supported position. To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected] by May 1, 2023.
• The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is looking for students or early career professionals interested in issues of existential risk – whether they be nuclear-related, from climate change, or from any number of disruptive technologies. Applicants are invited to submit to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists through our Voices of Tomorrow program. Started in 2015, the Voices of Tomorrow program offers extra editorial help to young authors submitting written, multi-media, or video pieces to the Bulletin. After publication, these pieces are then posted on the Bulletin’s free-to-read website which is visited by millions of visitors each year.  At the end of each year, the editors choose the best Voices of Tomorrow piece a give the author the Leonard M. Rieser award, a $1000 prize, and a yearlong subscription to the Bulletin’s premium magazine. To learn more, watch this video.
• The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is accepting applications for a Research Assistant and Programme Administrator for Defence and Military Analysis Programme at its London Office. The position will assist the Defense and Military Analysis Programme in the implementation of the Missile Dialogue Initiative, a multi-year Track 1.5 project that seeks to strengthen international discussion and to promote a high-level exchange of views on missile technologies and related international security dynamics. Apply here.
• CRDF Global is hiring a Program Manager for its Nuclear Security Team. View the vacancy.
• George Washington University is searching for a Program Manager for Nuclear Security Engagement. Apply for the role.