“Nuke for Nuke” — Kim Jong-Un’s Audacious Escalation Gambit
Kylie Jones | 9DashLine
Under Kim’s leadership, North Korea has increasingly taken escalatory measures to achieve certain foreign policy aims, from gauging South Korea's military preparedness to testing America's commitment to South Korean defence to satisfying domestic audiences. But, while Kim can achieve some of these short-term goals through deliberate and calculated escalation, these same efforts frustrate North Korea’s more longstanding foreign policy aspirations, such as gaining international legitimacy and normalising relations with the United States. Thus, North Korea’s growing appetite for escalation suggests a change in the way Kim Jong-un is prioritising North Korea’s foreign policy objectives.
Iran can Make Fissile Material for a Bomb 'in About 12 Days' - U.S. Official
Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-can-make-fissile-material-bomb-in-about-12-days-us-official-2023-02-28/
Iran could make enough fissile for one nuclear bomb in "about 12 days," a top U.S. Defense Department official said on Tuesday, down from the estimated one year it would have taken while the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was in effect. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl made the comment to a House of Representatives hearing when pressed by a Republican lawmaker why the Biden administration had sought to revive the deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)
Poland, Ukraine Call for Nuclear Energy Sanctions Against Russia
Daria Sito-sucic | Reuters
Poland and Ukraine on Thursday called for international sanctions against Russia's nuclear energy sector, saying they feared their neighbour may hurt energy security and economies in Europe if attacks on Ukrainian power facilities continue…"If we want to develop nuclear, ... we need to suspend Russia in International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," Anna Moskwa, the Polish climate and environment minister, said at an energy conference in the Croatian capital of Zagreb.
Russian Envoy Says Nuclear Powers May Clash Over Ukraine
JAMEY KEATEN | Associated Press
A senior Russian diplomat warned Thursday that increasing Western support for Ukraine could trigger an open conflict between nuclear powers. Speaking at the U.N. conference on disarmament, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov denounced the U.S. and its allies for openly declaring the goal of defeating Russia in a “hybrid” war, arguing that it violates their obligations under international agreements and is fraught with the war in Ukraine spilling out of control. Ryabkov warned that “the U.S. and NATO policy of fueling the conflict in Ukraine” and their ”increasing involvement in the military confrontation is fraught with a direct military clash of nuclear powers with catastrophic consequences.”
Air Force Relieves 6 Officers at Nuclear Base After Lapses
TARA COPP | Associated Press
Six Air Force officers who were in charge of caring for the infrastructure, fuel and logistics support for a North Dakota nuclear missile base were relieved of command due to a loss of confidence in their ability to carry out their responsibilities, the Air Force said. The official said the dismissals were based on non-compliance with safety regulations for vehicles and equipment, and while the decision to relieve the officers of command was based on the results of one safety inspection, the units had not been compliant for some time.
New Simulator Drives Home Human Toll of Nuclear Conflict with North Korea
Ankit Panda | NK News
“Nuclear War Simulator” is not a game in the traditional sense: There are no levels, no high scores and no objectives. The simulator is a sandbox that allows users to set up a variety of conflict scenarios and then watch as they play out. Through these scenarios, “Nuclear War Simulator” provides a vivid demonstration of the probabilistic calculations at the heart of planning for and deterring a nuclear exchange with North Korea. And the game’s sobering depiction of the devastation that would follow any nuclear-use scenario — for not only whole countries and populations but individual people — dramatically underscores what is at stake.