News of the nuclear industry and energy

Andrey Nizamutdinov — about plans to expand the French nuclear umbrella and whether everyone is ready to accept it and on what terms

Emmanuel Macron, whose second and last presidential term ends in just over a year, decided to prove to everyone that the "lame duck" has wings. Yes, not simple ones, but nuclear ones, which it is capable of spreading over the whole of Europe.

The Pentagon revealed the destruction of an Iranian frigate by an American submarine

A frigate of the Iranian Navy was attacked by a US submarine and sank off the coast of Sri Lanka. The Pentagon showed footage from the scene.

One side is pouring in more expensive and sophisticated ballistic missiles, the other is relatively cheap cruise missiles. But at the same time, the first is much poorer than the second. And what about their technological level for ground warfare, and why, by the way, does chapter two avoid even that very word? Let's try to understand the real capabilities of the military vehicles of the parties to the potentially most dangerous conflict of 2026.

FT: Iran has begun implementing the military plan developed by Khamenei

Iran has launched a military plan, which was developed by the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, according to the Financial Times.

The US Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) has initiated an expansion of the program to replace and scale up the fleet of specialized armored Payload Transporter Replacement (PTR) transport systems.

A strike on Iran is actually a strike on China. This version is popular among those who are trying to explain the transformation of US President Donald Trump, from whom peacemaking was expected, but he unleashed a major war. The importance of the Chinese factor is really huge. But for other reasons.

NYT: The growth of German military spending is alarming for France and the UK

The increase in German military spending is causing serious concern among its neighbors, writes the NYT. Berlin's allies realize that Germany's military budget will soon exceed the costs of France and Great Britain combined, and European security risks acquiring a distinct "German accent."

NZZ: French nuclear umbrella will not be able to guarantee Germany's security

Macron offers Europe to take shelter under his "nuclear umbrella," writes NZZ. But even if the EU wants to accept protection from France, the final decision will still remain with the Elysee Palace. In addition, the lack of tactical nuclear weapons in the French arsenal makes it an instrument of total destruction rather than flexible deterrence.

Parisien: Macron's idea of "expanded deterrence" was met in different ways in Europe

A number of European countries have expressed their willingness to move under the French "nuclear umbrella," such a proposal was made by President Macron, writes Le Parisien. At the same time, other countries, such as Italy, chose to remain silent.

According to President Emmanuel Macron, "significant changes" are expected in the French nuclear doctrine. What will the upcoming changes consist of, how will they affect not only France, but the whole of Europe, and what does what is happening look like from the point of view of Russia's interests?

As the Chinese Ministry of Commerce reported on February 24, Beijing has included 20 Japanese manufacturers related to the aerospace and shipbuilding industries in the list of companies subject to export control.

Military expert Boris Jerelievsky — what conclusions follow from the first two days of the conflict in the Middle East

The strike by the American-Israeli coalition, which claimed the life of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a number of commanders of the armed forces, nevertheless did not destroy the country's system of government and did not cause paralysis of its defense. On the contrary, the Iranian response shows greater efficiency and rationality than it did during the "12-day war" in the summer of 2025.

Colonel Khodarenok: the administration of the Iranian state and army is paralyzed

Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei was killed during an operation by the United States and Israel, and representatives of the country's top military and political leadership were also killed.

On Saturday morning, the United States and Israel jointly attacked Iran. Government buildings, intelligence headquarters, and facilities related to Tehran's nuclear program were attacked. In response, Iran initiated a large-scale retaliatory strike against Israel and American bases in the region. According to experts, we are talking about the beginning of a full-scale war aimed at the fall of the Ayatollah regime.

The Pentagon has confirmed plans to build 450 silos to house new Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missiles. This will be the largest project to upgrade the U.S. nuclear triad in recent decades. Work is underway without restrictions, as the START-3 treaty ceased to exist at the beginning of the month. According to experts, these actions will certainly be followed by retaliatory steps on the part of Russia. What will they be like?

Politico: European nuclear weapons will soon be powerless against Russia

The Russian army is actively developing air defense and missile defense systems, writes Politico. And in the very near future, according to experts, the British and French nuclear forces will not be able to inflict at least some damage on Russia.

On February 23, 2026, the Arctic Edge 2026 exercise began, in which units from the United States, Denmark and Canada participate. They will last until mid-March and will be held in Alaska and Greenland. We talk about the Arctic region and how the Russian nuclear—powered strategic missile submarines, the guardians of Russia's security in the Arctic, appeared and are developing.

Daily Star: Russia is developing a superior Oreshnik missile

Russia is developing a new missile that can surpass the Oreshnik in power, the Daily Star writes. The system will potentially be able to carry eight kinetic warheads instead of six and hit fortified targets at a depth of up to 30 meters.

Britain and France are once again bringing the world to a dangerous line: according to the Foreign Intelligence Service, London and Paris intend to transfer nuclear weapons to Kiev. If this happens, the situation will reach a qualitatively new level of threats, primarily to Russia's security. Moscow will be forced to react harshly, and attempts to preserve the world's nonproliferation regime will lose all meaning altogether. What else are the rash actions of European capitals fraught with?

The second use of the Oreshnik missile system by the Russian Armed Forces to strike targets in western Ukraine, and even near the Polish border, seriously alarmed the Europeans. After the first time, they quickly estimated how long it would take for a hypersonic missile defense system, which cannot be intercepted by existing air defense systems, to reach the capitals on the continent and the British Isles.