Pjotr Sauer | The Guardian
The Kremlin has said Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use US-supplied weapons against targets in Russia demonstrates Washington’s deep involvement in the conflict, as some of Vladimir Putin’s allies increased their nuclear threats against the west. The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told journalists on Friday that Moscow was already aware of attempts by Ukraine to strike targets on Russian territory with weapons provided by the US.
Hyunsu Yim | Reuters
North Korea said on Friday it had fired 18 short-range ballistic missiles during a drill as a demonstration of its willingness to launch a pre-emptive strike against South Korea's "gangsters' regime" if necessary to counter an attack. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guided the firing drill of the 600mm "super-large" multiple rocket launchers on Thursday, state news agency KCNA reported. South Korea said it had detected at least 10 short-range ballistic missiles fired by North Korea off its east coast, calling it a possible display for would-be weapons buyers, including Russia.
GABRIEL HONRADA | Asia Times
India is constructing a submarine base in the Bay of Bengal that when completed will provide a sanctuary for its sea-based nuclear deterrent against Pakistan and China. This month, the Indian Defense Research Wing (IDRW) reported that India’s ambitious Project Varsha, a sprawling 1,680-acre naval base, is rapidly taking shape on the Eastern Coast at Rambilli. Recent satellite images indicate a rapid expansion, suggesting the project is on track for completion within its designated timeframe.
Jasper Jolly | The Guardian
Keir Starmer has announced a “triple lock” on Britain’s nuclear weapons policy as he seeks to portray Labour as the party of security in the general election campaign. The Labour leader said his party would be “totally committed” to the UK’s submarine-based nuclear weapons programme, and that he would be prepared to authorise their use. “Even as we work tirelessly for peace, we have to be fit to fight,” he said in a speech at the Fusilier Museum in Bury, Greater Manchester, on Monday.
Taxpayers for Common Sense
Taxpayers for Common Sense today released a report titled “Ripe for Rescission: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of U.S. ICBMs.” The report assesses the value of the planned Sentinel ICBM, as well as ICBMs more broadly, against the goals laid out in the Biden administration’s 2022 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR). It finds that the Sentinel and ICBMs generally do not meaningfully support those goals when considered alongside the rest of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. In some cases, the report argues, the Sentinel actively undermines the goals of the NPR. The report recommends canceling the Sentinel program, decommissioning the Minuteman III, and reworking U.S. nuclear strategy based on a nuclear dyad rather than a triad.
HYUNG-JIN KIM | Associated Press
South Korea announced Monday it’ll suspend a rapprochement deal with North Korea to punish it over its launches of trash-carrying balloons, even after the North said it would halt its balloon campaign…The security council said the suspension would allow South Korea to resume military drills near the border with North Korea and take effective, immediate responses to provocations by North Korea. It said a proposal on the suspension will be introduced at the Cabinet Council on Tuesday for approval.