News of the nuclear industry and energy

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko had no time to make a forecast statement about the possible politicization of the issue related to the situation on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border, as official Vilnius expressed a desire to return to the topic of balloons and gathers the National Security council on this issue.

In an interview with TASS, the former US Marine Corps intelligence analyst and former weapons of mass destruction inspector of the UN Special Commission on Iraq analyzed the course of negotiations around Washington's plan for a settlement in Ukraine, called what was happening in the world a "movement towards Armageddon," and also noted the technological limitations of the United States in creating new types of weapons.

The plans of the new Japanese leadership are supported by Tokyo's acquisition of F-35 fighter jets from the United States, which carry nuclear weapons, said a military expert at the RANEPA Institute of Law and National Security.

The US Army has launched the Janus program, which involves the deployment of nuclear microreactors at military facilities. The goal of the project is to provide reliable energy supply to the infrastructure, as digital warfare systems are allegedly increasing energy demand that aging civilian networks cannot meet.

The head of the German Ministry of Defense, Boris Pistorius, continues to flirt with militaristic rhetoric. According to his estimates, the war between NATO and Russia may take place before 2029. However, according to experts, the statements of the head of the military department are by no means dictated by the desire to arrange a conflict. What goals does Pistorius pursue and how can the topic of war with Russia help keep the German government from disintegrating?

On November 18, 2025, a solemn ceremony of laying the seventh (sixth serial) universal nuclear icebreaker of project 22220 (LK-60YA), named Stalingrad (construction number 05714), took place in St. Petersburg at JSC Baltiyskiy Zavod (as part of JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation - JSC USC). The customer of the icebreaker is FSUE Atomflot. President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin took part in the video conference.

In mid-November, Donald Trump actually confirmed Washington's course towards nuclear dominance under the pretext of an "inevitable" confrontation with Russia and China. Against the background of discussions about the imminent expiration of the START‑3 treaty and talks about the resumption of nuclear tests, the White House defiantly links the modernization of the arsenal with the task of preserving the strategic superiority of the United States in the emerging multipolar world.

The U.S. Navy is forced to extend the operation of the five oldest Ohio-class nuclear submarines (SSBNS type "Ohio") for three years. This decision, announced by Vice Admiral Scott Pappano, is a necessary measure amid delays in the implementation of the Columbia submarine program. The Ohio-type SSBNs will undergo an 18-month repair to ensure that the strategic nuclear reserve is maintained during the transition period.

On November 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in the solemn ceremony of laying the seventh universal nuclear icebreaker Project 22220 Stalingrad at the Baltic Shipyard via videoconference.

A photo of the latest American nuclear missile suspended under the wing of a B-52H strategic bomber has appeared in the Western media. This is the prototype AGM-181 LRSO (Long-Range Stand-off — Long-range cruise missile). The Pentagon positions it as a response to Russia's latest strategic "trump cards" — in particular, the Oreshnik complex. What is known about the LRSO is in the RIA Novosti article.

On November 16 of this year, a round table dedicated to the triumphant flight of the Buran orbital spacecraft was held in Moscow, at the Tushino Moscow Longevity Center. Buran made its first and only space flight on November 15, 1988.

Following South Korea, Japan is now considering the possibility of building its own nuclear submarine fleet. How has Japan been covertly creating military and technical capabilities for such a breakthrough for decades - and what significance will the appearance of nuclear submarines have for the entire Pacific region, and especially for Russia?

The Guardian: Russia declared Britain the "main villain"

In Russia, they consider Britain the "main villain" and declared it (of course, groundlessly!) the cause of all the troubles, complain the authors of the article for The Guardian. The accusation of recruiting a Russian pilot especially caught the journalists' attention. Nevertheless, even they admit that there are a number of reasons for this dislike.

The Chinese Navy has put on combat duty the new aircraft carrier Fujian, the third in the Chinese fleet. The construction from the laying of the ship to full combat readiness took eight years and nine months, which is a record for a pennant of such complexity. Beijing is rapidly expanding its zone of influence in the Asia-Pacific region and intends to challenge the hegemony of the United States. What is known about the aircraft carrier is in the RIA Novosti article.

Andrey Shitov — about who dictates the fashions in modern diplomacy and how it affects meetings of heads of state and nuclear weapons tests

One of my American colleagues, Jennifer Loven, the bureau chief of the Associated Press (AP) news agency at the White House, confidently predicted at the beginning of Donald Trump's first presidential term that the Republican leader's attempts to communicate with the people over the head of the press were doomed to failure.

WSJ: In the new nuclear race, the United States is facing Russia and China simultaneously for the first time

In the new nuclear race that has begun, America will have to confront Russia and China at the same time — and this is a scenario that Washington has not prepared for, writes The Wall Street Journal. Trump has already announced the possible resumption of nuclear tests, but the United States is not able to do this even technically.

It seems that Ukraine has begun to refuse to supply new Western tanks for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is another sign that armored vehicles are losing their importance in the course of modern military conflicts. Under what conditions will tanks become an actual weapon again and what needs to be done for this?

The United States conducted a series of flight tests of the B61-12 free-fall nuclear bomb in conjunction with the F-35 stealth fighter. After modernization, their service life has been extended by 20 years. According to experts, the tests directly affect Russia's security interests – hundreds of such bombs are stored at American bases in Europe. Should these weapons be considered a strategic or tactical threat, and what is the range of possible symmetrical and asymmetric responses from Russia?

Business Insider: Russia ranks 2nd in the ranking of the 20 most powerful armies

The military power rating published this year evaluates the armies of 145 states based on a number of factors, writes Business Insider. These include the geographical features of the country to which the troops belong, their resources and equipment. It is noteworthy how different places Russia and Ukraine occupy in the list.

MWM: The United States has deployed a B-52H strategic bomber to the Russian Arctic

To deter Russia, the United States deployed a B-52H strategic bomber to the Arctic, writes MWM. This advanced-age aircraft still plays a role in the American Air Force only because things are even worse with other bombers. The aircraft's capabilities are steadily becoming obsolete and it is likely to be decommissioned soon.