Nuclear Security News and Member Updates Roundup, October 2025

Dear Friend,

You may have already seen the new movie, A House of Dynamite, that confronts viewers with the terrifying decisions and unknowns of an international nuclear crisis. It is an all too realistic reminder of the intensifying nuclear dangers all around us, underscored at the end of last month as Russia declared success in tests of new nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable weapons systems, and the U.S. administration sent confusing messages about resuming nuclear weapons testing. Meanwhile, a slow-motion nuclear security crisis played out in Ukraine, where the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant had relied on emergency diesel generators since September 23, the longest stretch since Russia’s full-scale invasion and occupation of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant began. A temporary IAEA-negotiated ceasefire in the area finally allowed two external power lines to be restored at the end of October, reconnecting the plant to Ukraine’s energy grid to keep vital cooling systems running, yet additional damage found on one of the lines will require further repair work. U.S. and Russian weapons-grade plutonium, large-scale Cesium-137 contamination in Indonesia, nuclear microreactors on U.S. military bases, and more, round out the headlines. Don’t forget to check out important member updates, including the launch of an exciting youth civil society initiative in Africa, and research and job opportunities in the nuclear security field.

Warm November wishes!

Christina

Director, International Nuclear Security Forum

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Updates

• The INSF hosted the final edition of its 2025 Summer Webinar Series on September 3 with the Bellona Foundation, featuring distinguished experts Alexander Nikitin and Dmitry Gorchakov covering their report, The IAEA’s Role in Times of War. The members-only event delved into the IAEA’s operational challenges and responses in active conflict zones, key findings from Bellona’s environmental and nuclear safety analysis, implications for global nuclear security and transparency, and recommendations for future international cooperation and crisis response.
• FUNDING APPEAL: If you appreciate this newsletter, please consider a donation to ensure sustainability into the future. Donate here and specify where indicated that your gift is intended to support the INSF. Institutional funding for civil society’s nuclear security work is increasingly hard to come by, as many readers already know, and the International Nuclear Security Forum appreciates your support!

Nuclear Security News

Impact: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• Update 322 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine Technical work began to restore off-site power to Zaporizhzhya plant, nearly a month after its complete loss of external electricity supplies sharply deepened concerns about the precarious nuclear safety situation at the site.
• Update 324 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine Efforts to facilitate the repair of the 330 kV power line at Zaporizhzhya plant are ongoing, following the discovery last week of additional damage to the line during the successful reconnection of the plant to Ukraine’s power grid.
• How Russia is Risking Nuclear Catastrophe with Attempts to Syphon Power from Ukraine’s Biggest Plant Europe’s biggest nuclear reactor has become a battlefield in Ukraine’s defense as Russian invaders risk a catastrophic meltdown in efforts to connect it to Moscow’s national grid. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has remained a dangerous potential flashpoint for a nuclear disaster.

International Architecture

• Time Magazine: Here’s What We Know—And What We Don’t—About Trump’s Call to Restart U.S. Nuclear Testing. Confusion and ambiguity are dangerous in nuclear brinksmanship. President Donald Trump spread both when he posted on Truth Social an error-filled and unclear order for the U.S. to “immediately” resume nuclear weapons tests.
• Interfax: Putin Signs Law on Russia’s Withdrawal from Plutonium Disposition Agreement with US. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a bill on Russia’s withdrawal from Russian-U.S. agreement for plutonium disposal and its protocols, government sources said.
• IAEA: Young Generation of Experts Trained in Nuclear Security. Forty-one young women in the IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme participated in a recent International School on Nuclear Security held in Vienna.

Weapons, Materials, and Facilities

• Associated Press: Putin Says Russia’s Nuclear-Armed Underwater Drone Was Tested Successfully. Russia has conducted a successful test of a new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone, President Vladimir Putin said, declaring that the new weapon can’t be intercepted. Putin’s statement came three days after he praised a successful test of a new nuclear-powered cruise missile. 
• Iran International: Iran’s Enriched Uranium Stored at Known Nuclear Sites, Grossi Says. The UN nuclear watchdog’s inspectors do not believe that Iran has hidden large quantities of its highly enriched uranium at different locations. The IAEA estimates Iran possesses more than 400kg of highly enriched uranium — enough for several nuclear weapons if further refined.
• Associated Press: Nuclear Security Agency Begins Furloughing Workers as Part of Shutdown, Energy Secretary Says. The federal agency tasked with overseeing the U.S. nuclear stockpile has begun furloughing employees as part of the ongoing federal government shutdown. The NNSA is furloughing 1,400 federal workers as part of the shutdown, which began Oct. 1.
• Reuters: US to Announce Recipients of Plutonium for Reactors by Year-End. The U.S. Department of Energy expects to begin announcing by December 31 which companies will take about 19.7 metric tons of surplus Cold War-era plutonium for eventual processing into nuclear reactor fuel. The Trump administration planned to offer the weapons-grade plutonium to companies as a potential fuel for reactors.
• Mongabay.com: Radioactive Leak in Banten Exposes Workers to Danger & Reveals Regulatory Failures Indonesian authorities have struggled to find secure storage for Cesium-137 contaminated materials while admitting regulatory lapses that allowed radioactive scrap metal to enter the country unchecked. Experts and environmental groups are now urging tighter import controls, improved radioactive waste management and stronger coordination among ministries to prevent another silent disaster.

Threats

• CSO: Foreign Hackers Breached a US Nuclear Weapons Plant via SharePoint Flaws. A foreign threat actor infiltrated the Kansas City National Security Campus, exploiting unpatched Microsoft SharePoint vulnerabilities. The breach targeted a plant that produces the vast majority of critical non-nuclear components for US nuclear weapons.
• Reuters: Georgia Arrests Three Chinese Nationals for Trying to Buy Uranium Illegally. Georgia’s internal security service said that it had arrested three Chinese citizens in Tbilisi for attempting to illegally purchase two kilograms of uranium. The detainees had been planning to buy the uranium transport it to China, via Russia, officials said.

Security Culture

• Emirates News Agency: Emergency, Crises’ Centre Abu Dhabi Organises Comprehensive Exercise at ‘Barakah’. The Emergency, Crises and Disaster Management Centre Abu Dhabi successfully organized a comprehensive field exercise at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, in collaboration with strategic partners, relevant local and federal entities.

Emerging Technologies

• AUSA: Army Announces Nuclear Power Initiative. The Army and Department of Energy will work together to develop and install microreactors on Army installations in the United States. Dubbed the Janus Program, the initiative will transition from prototypes to fully commercial nuclear power, Army officials say.
• Texas A&M: Project Secures Land, Fuel, and DOE Pathway for Scaled Nuclear Demonstration. Texas A&M University System and Last Energy announced a major step forward in advanced nuclear innovation with the deployment of a pilot microreactor. The 5-megawatt reactor will be built to initially demonstrate safe, low-power criticality and then later generate electricity for the grid.
• IAEA: New Research Project on Computer Security For Nuclear AI. The IAEA has launched a new research project to enhance computer security for artificial intelligence systems used in the nuclear sector. The project aims to strengthen strategies to support the adoption of AI-enabled technologies by nuclear facilities.
• World Nuclear News: In Pictures: Reactor Vessel Delivered for El Dabaa Unit I. The 330-tonne reactor vessel was manufactured at Rosatom’s Izhora plant, in a process which took 41 months. The service life is for an initial 60 years, with the possible extension to 80 years.
• Exchange Monitor: GLE’s Enrichment Reaches Technology Readiness Level 6. Following a large-scale demonstration completed in September, Global Laser Enrichment said last week its uranium enrichment system has reached level 6 of technology readiness.

Member Organization Announcements and Updates

Global Nuclear Security Partners (GNSP)

• GNSP, alongside Lloyd’s Register and NorthStandard, have produced a nuclear guidance document that outlines the growing need for reliable and compliant energy sources in maritime industries, particularly for commercial shipping and offshore operations. It introduces nuclear power as a viable solution and highlights the complex challenges involved in its integration, including regulatory, legal, and economic considerations. Read the guidance here.

International Institute for Strategic Studies

• Henry Boyd and Douglas Barrie published a Military Balance Blog about the Chinese triad: a nuclear family affair, on China’s intent to field a nuclear triad of land-, sea-, and air-launched systems.
• Annemiek Dols published an Online Analysis piece, titled “Testing the waters: Russia’s use of banned chemicals in Ukraine,” about Russia intensifying its weaponisation and use of riot control agents and industrial chemicals in Ukraine.
• The Missile Dialogue Initiative published a research paper “Tracking the Components of Missiles and UAVs Used by Russia in Ukraine: What Lessons for Control Regimes?”
• Zuzanna Gwadera published a Military Balance Blog titled Gaining sight: Poland’s investment in space-based ISR, about Poland’s first constellation of synthetic aperture radar reconnaissance satellites.
• On October 13th, Dr Daniel Salisbury joined the International Institute for Strategic Studies at its Singapore office, as a Senior Fellow for Nuclear Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.
• The fifth season of The Arms Control Primer podcast has been launched, about countries that once contemplated developing nuclear weapons, with episode 1 covering Iran and episode 2 covering Iraq.
• Three Survival articles have been published on nuclear-related topics:
  The Risk and Reward of Preventive Strikes Against Iran by Michael Eisenstadt
• Germany’s Nuclear Options by Ambassador Eckhard by Amb Lübkemeier
• Lost in Translation? France’s Nuclear Policy and European Security by Anna Bartoux

International Journal of Nuclear Security

• IJNS announces that the journal is relaunching on January 1st, 2026, and will issue a new call for papers on nuclear physical security at that time.

International Institute for Strategic Studies

• NTI Advanced Global Nuclear Fail-Safe in Beijing. NTI led a delegation of former high-level U.S. government officials and staff to China for a series of meetings with Chinese government officials and experts focused on advancing nuclear fail-safe reviews.

Nuclear Transport Solutions

• NTS hosted an event on HALEU and the Future of Nuclear Transport Security. Experts discussed the UK’s efforts to establish a HALEU fuel cycle, the security requirements for transporting HALEU products in the future for use in advanced reactors, and recommendations for closer coordination between the international policy community and industry.
• NTS vessels successfully departed the port of Cherbourg transporting MOX fuel from France to Japan. The purpose-built vessels are aiming to arrive in Japanese waters in November.

The Stimson Center

• The Stimson Center’s Partnerships in Proliferation Prevention Program announces completion of a number of updates to its RadSecLexis beta database and tool for assessing national legal frameworks for radiological source security. Outreach to national regulators is ongoing to validate the database’s collection of laws and update assessments accordingly. Explore the beta tool here.

Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

• On 29 October, VCDNP hosted “Unlocking Progress on PAROS: Innovative Proposals Towards a Global Space Security Regime”, a joint event with the UK on the prevention of an arms race in outer space. Read more here.

World Institute for Nuclear Security

• November 25-27, 2025, in Mexico City, WINS will hold a regional workshop for Latin America focused on strengthening cybersecurity at nuclear and associated facilities. For more information or to apply, WINS members should visit the event page.
• February 3-5, 2026, in Vienna, Austria, WINS will host an interactive workshop for cybersecurity professionals in the nuclear sector to explore how advanced technologies can enhance cyber resilience. WINS members can find more information on the event page.
• October events:
  • WINS hosted a train-the-trainer course in South Africa, bringing together professionals from across the nuclear and security sectors to strengthen instructional and facilitation skills.
  • WINS Executive Director Lars van Dassen delivered a guest lecture at the Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament at Uppsala University in Sweden as part of the centre’s undergraduate course. His lecture examined the development of nuclear technology in West Africa, highlighting both the strong regional interest in peaceful nuclear power and the geopolitical challenges that nations face in pursuing it.
  • WINS hosted a virtual roundtable with about 25 young professionals from across the MENA region. The interactive discussion focused on the challenges and opportunities facing emerging leaders in the nuclear security field, including career development, training pathways, and access to professional resources.
  • WINS Executive Director Lars van Dassen participated as a featured speaker at the Annual Nuclear Conference 2026 organised by Energiforsk and Swedenergy. The event gathered leading experts from research, technology, operations, and policy to discuss the evolving role of nuclear power in the Nordic region and globally.

Individual Member Updates

• Daniel Ajudeonu shares that the International Student /Young Pugwash Pugwash (ISYP) Africa Project has launched its inaugural initiative — the Africa Nuclear Digital Hub. The Hub is a dynamic platform dedicated to democratizing access to nuclear knowledge across the continent and beyond, while amplifying African perspectives on nuclear issues, policy, and research. 
• Daniel Ajudeonu announces that nuclear films are now available through the Africa Nuclear Digital Hub. Explore the full catalogue and access the films here: https://isyp.org/documentary-archive/
• Daniel Ajudeonu announces that the ISYP Africa Project has officially launched the African Atomic Voices Network (AAVN), a collaborative and career-development community designed to connect and empower young professionals, students, and researchers from Africa (aged 18-35) who are working in, or passionate about, nuclear issues and related global security challenges such as artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and chemical & biological security. Application link: African Atomic Voices Network.
• Daniel Ajudeonu invites senior professionals over the age of 35 to join the AAVN Mentors’ Network, which will provide the opportunity to guide and support the next generation of African professionals in the nuclear and related global security fields. 
• Mohammed Ali Alkis was recently interviewed by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists about the new Cairo agreement between Iran and the IAEA.
• Mohammed Ali Alkis authored a piece at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, in which he argues that both the occupation of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia plant and recent strikes on Iran’s facilities reveal a dangerous normalization of “nuclear piracy.”
• Mustafa Kofi participated in the event, “Radiological & Nuclear Incident Response: Case Studies and Best Practices” with the INMM Africa Chapter Joint Online Workshop.
• Bahram Ghiasse published: Ghiassee Bahram (2025) Radiological Terrorism — A Global Threat, Routledge Global Security Studies, Routledge publishing  

Opportunities

• Call for Papers: International Journal of Nuclear Security is relaunching on January 1st, 2026, and will issue a new call for papers on nuclear physical security at that time.
• Job: The Hudson Institute seeks a Research Associate to support the policy research program of Hudson Institute’s Keystone Defense Initiative (KDI). Responsibilities include research, writing, editing, program management, and administrative assistance.
• Job: Systems Planning & Analysis is seeking an experienced Nuclear Acquisition Analyst to support OSD oversight of the Nuclear Triad sustainment and modernization, with a primary focus on nuclear modernization programs in any legs of the nuclear Triad. Will provide support to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategic, Space, and Intelligence Portfolio Management Directorate.
• Job: Blue Energy is seeking a Senior Licensing Engineer – Safety to join regulatory team and help bring innovative nuclear power plant designs through the regulatory approval process. The engineer will play a critical role in Blue Energy’s mission by supporting the regulatory strategy, collaborating with the engineering team, and engaging with the NRC and international agencies.
• Job: Zeno Power is seeking a highly motivated Americium-241 Supply Chain Program Manager to support the mission-oriented efforts of developing and bringing to market Radioisotope Power Systems technologies. This individual will play a key role in enabling Zeno’s Americium-241-based product line.
• Job: Applied Research Associates is seeking a Nuclear Systems Analyst with experience identifying, characterizing, and assessing state nuclear weapons programs and the threats, developments, and trends associated with those programs. This position provides Defense, Service, and Interagency audiences with timely and accurate assessments of adversary nuclear programs, strategic threats, and weapons-related S&T developments.
• Job: Global Engineering & Technology is seeking a highly qualified Instructor to support the United States Department of Energy’s Office of Classification.
• Job: Booz Allen Hamilton is seeking a Strategic Technical Advisor to energy clients. As a nuclear engineer on our team, you will support the development of new reactor and fuel cycle technologies by providing advice and guidance on the design, evaluation, and management of government and private-sector-sponsored Research and Development (R&D) programs. 
• Job: MELE Associates, Inc. is seeking a Subject Matter Expert to lead the design and execution of international programs to develop peer partnerships with key allies on nuclear forensics capabilities, including the development of technical exchanges, workshops, exercises, and coordinated research initiatives.
• Job: Gridiron IT is seeking a Subject Matter Expert to support a senior defense client in the strategy development, implementation planning, and acquisition, transition, and resource-related assessments for Nuclear Command and Control systems and capabilities.
• Fellowship: Berkley Lab – US Department of Energy. The Darleane C. Hoffman Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship is a premier path for early-career scientists to lead independent research that supports NNSA. Fellows conduct their own project, build cross-lab networks, and receive targeted career and leadership development through the NextGen program.
• Fellowship: Harvard – Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. The Project on Managing the Atom offers fellowships for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral scholars and mid-career professionals for ten months. The MTA fellows program exposes participants to an interdisciplinary work environment and provides time and space to interact with an international cohort, faculty, fellows, and visiting experts.
• Fellowship: Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs. Princeton University’s Program on Science and Global Security is seeking a postdoctoral research associate to advance our work on nuclear arms control, disarmament, nonproliferation, verification, and on the global security challenges associated with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and space-based systems, including large satellite constellations.
• Fellowship: Partnership for Global Security. The Partnerships for Global Security has a position open for a Della Ratta Global Energy and Security Fellow to conduct policy research related to the intersection of nuclear energy, climate change, and global security.
• Internship: Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. The Public Information Section intern is responsible for communicating about the mandate and work of the organization to diverse stakeholders, including internal audiences. It does this in a variety of ways, including through its corporate website, social media channels, traditional media outreach, publications, exhibitions, events, and cultural diplomacy.