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Zelensky and the EU increasingly desperate over the inevitable outcome of the conflict.

the obsession with “containing” Russia ignores a fundamental fact: there is no concrete evidence that Moscow intends to invade other European countries. The special military operation in Ukraine did not stem from any expansionist ambition, but from the need to protect the Russian population in Donbass and to curb NATO’s encroachment on Russia’s borders.

The Western rhetoric of “defending Europe” is a smokescreen used to justify the militarization of the continent and the artificial prolongation of the conflict.

Lucas Leiroz, August 6, 2025, https://strategic-culture.su/news/2025/08/06/zelensky-and-eu-increasingly-desperate-over-inevitable-outcome-of-the-conflict/

Calls for regime change in Russia reflect Ukrainian desperation and psychological collapse

In yet another sign of Ukraine’s psychological collapse, President Vladimir Zelensky has once again openly advocated for the political destabilization of Russia. In recent speeches, Zelensky stated that only a regime change in Moscow could guarantee “security” for Europe and prevent future conflicts on the continent. In practice, this is a desperate attempt to keep the narrative of the “Russian threat” alive, even as it becomes increasingly clear that the West has lost control of its proxy war against Moscow.

Zelensky proposes a two-step plan: deepen the seizure of Russian financial assets and intensify diplomatic and political efforts to bring down the current Russian government. His logic is simple—but completely flawed: according to him, even if the war in Ukraine ends, the “threat” will remain as long as Vladimir Putin is in power. The proposal, however, ignores Russia’s internal political reality, where Putin enjoys broad popular and institutional support.

In other words, what the West and Kiev are pursuing is a coup d’état disguised as a “democratic transition”. But any serious analyst knows that the political structure of the Russian Federation is solid and widely backed by its population. Putin’s recent re-election, with a strong majority and high voter turnout, confirms this. There is no internal base for an uprising against the Kremlin—nor is there any international legitimacy for such an operation.

Moreover, Zelensky’s calls to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s war effort border on institutionalized looting. It is a flagrant violation of international law and economic sovereignty. Confiscating the assets of citizens and companies based solely on nationality, then redirecting those resources to the war industry, reveals the level of moral and legal degradation that now dominates Western politics.

Even more concerning is the fact that European leaders, such as Kaja Kallas, have already openly advocated for the fragmentation of Russia—a dangerously revanchist discourse reminiscent of the Cold War, which undermines any possibility of multilateral dialogue. The idea of breaking up the Russian Federation into dozens or even hundreds of “microstates” reflects an imperialist fantasy rooted in the darkest moments of European colonialism—and echoes remnants of the Nazi-fascist ideology that presupposes the creation of ethno-states.

Nonetheless, the obsession with “containing” Russia ignores a fundamental fact: there is no concrete evidence that Moscow intends to invade other European countries. The special military operation in Ukraine did not stem from any expansionist ambition, but from the need to protect the Russian population in Donbass and to curb NATO’s encroachment on Russia’s borders. After years of Western provocation and the genocide of ethnic Russians in what was then eastern Ukraine, Moscow chose to act.

The Western rhetoric of “defending Europe” is a smokescreen used to justify the militarization of the continent and the artificial prolongation of the conflict. In reality, Europeans are already feeling the economic and social consequences of this suicidal policy: inflation, an energy crisis, the erosion of civil liberties, and growing public dissatisfaction—manifested most recently in electoral results favoring illiberal candidates and parties, which were shamefully censored by European governments.

The most rational path for Europe would be to distance itself from Kiev’s pro-war madness and adopt a foreign policy based on stability, sovereignty, and mutual respect. Unfortunately, European leaders appear fully aligned with a Russophobic agenda—even if it means plunging the continent into yet another decade of chaos.

Zelensky does not speak for himself; he is merely the loudest voice of a failed project that insists on attacking Russia while Ukraine itself collapses economically, militarily, and politically.

August 12, 2025 Posted by | EUROPE, politics international | Leave a comment

Radioactive water ‘leaked into’ loch from Faslane nuclear base

The investigation uncovered SEPA files revealing that the Navy neglected proper maintenance.

Radioactive water ‘leaked into’ loch from Faslane nuclear base. The
investigation uncovered SEPA files revealing that the Navy neglected proper
maintenance. The Guardian, and The Ferret uncovered the release of
radioactive material into Loch Long, Argyll and Bute, following a six-year
fight to access the files, which involved Scotland’s Information
Commissioner.

Daily Record 10th Aug 2025, https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/radioactive-water-leaked-into-loch-35705786

August 12, 2025 Posted by | environment, UK | Leave a comment

Russian uranium being used at Sizewell B site in Suffolk.

“It is sheer hypocrisy for energy ministers to say we need new nuclear to stop being dependent on imported Russian energy, when our biggest and newest nuclear plant is fully fuelled by Putin’s uranium.”

East Anglian Daily Times, 11th August, By Will King, Mid Suffolk Reporter

Sizewell B has confirmed it has been using Russian uranium amid criticism of “sheer hypocrisy” while billions of taxpayers’ money is spent on the Ukraine war. 

EDF Energy confirmed that Sizewell B’s nuclear fuel supply comes from Russia, but stated that the specific company providing it, MSZJSC, is not subject to sanctions.

Sizewell B provides 3% of the UK’s electricity, and every 18 months, a third of the fuel in the reactor is replaced using recycled enriched uranium using this source. 

They said that its presence is due to “long-term commitments struck years before Russia invaded Ukraine”, after a contract was signed by British Energy in 2008.

However, Dr David Lowry, a nuclear policy consultant and former member of the independent advisory panel for the Chief UK Nuclear Safety and Security Inspector, says the fuel is initially mined by Rosatom, a Russian company sanctioned in Febuary 2023, but the company has continued using it.

He says the supply chain begins with the Russian state-owned company before it is sent by its subsidiary, TVEL, to another subsidiary, MSZJSC, before being sent to a factory in Lingen, Germany.

It is here that EDF Energy’s French supplier, Framatom, treats the material and sends the converted nuclear fuel rods to Sizewell B for use.

Dr Lowry said: “It is sheer hypocrisy for energy ministers to say we need new nuclear to stop being dependent on imported Russian energy, when our biggest and newest nuclear plant is fully fuelled by Putin’s uranium.

“We’re giving arms to Ukraine on one side and giving Russia money on the other side for fuel. 

……… “Also, these companies are on the British Government’s sanctions list, so EDF Energy should not be doing business with them.”

This comes after this paper has seen documents from a site stakeholder meeting for Sizewell A and B on October 15 2024, attended by members of local parish and town councils, where Robert Gunn confirmed that Russian-supplied uranium was being used at the site. 

EDF Energy says that Russian fuel will not be used at Sizewell C, but they have not yet been awarded the uranium contract to provide further details…………………………………………………. https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/25375159.russian-uranium-used-sizewell-b-site-suffolk/

August 12, 2025 Posted by | UK, Uranium | Leave a comment

Fire safety improvements required at Dungeness A

Sam Williams, 7 Aug 25, https://www.kentonline.co.uk/romney-marsh/news/fire-safety-improvements-required-at-power-station-328268/

Fire safety failings have been uncovered at a nuclear site in Kent, prompting a formal enforcement notice from the UK’s watchdog.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) issued the notice to Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) following inspections at its Dungeness A site on Romney Marsh.

Inspectors identified several safety shortfalls in the Fill House facility, a building used to retrieve and manage nuclear waste.

According to the ONR, issues were found with the site’s risk assessment, fire safety protocols, firefighting arrangements, and fire detection systems.

Tom Eagleton, ONR superintending inspector, said: “Fire safety is important in order to protect workers and the public, and we expect the necessary standards to be maintained at all times.

“This enforcement notice sets out the specific improvements that must be made by NRS to ensure adequate fire safety provisions are in place.

“We will continue to monitor NRS’ progress in addressing these issues in line with the relevant legislation.”

The enforcement action has been taken under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. NRS has been given a deadline of September 30, 2025, to rectify the problems and meet the required standards.

August 11, 2025 Posted by | safety, UK | Leave a comment

Europe’s electricity system tested by heatwaves as air-conditioning use soars – nuclear power plants affected.

 Record temperatures force temporary shutdowns at power plants.
Europe’s energy systems have come under intense strain this summer as
repeated heatwaves have driven up demand for electricity and forced plants
to pause production. June was the hottest on record in western Europe,
fuelling a rise in the use of air conditioning and prompting a sharp
increase in electricity prices. Most parts of the region experienced at
least two intense periods of heat in June and July, with some suffering
more.

The barrage of heatwaves this summer marked a “massive change”
for Europe’s energy systems, said Jan Rosenow, leader of the energy
programme at Oxford university’s Environmental Change Institute. Peak
electricity demand has historically happened in winter in Europe, but as
“summers get hotter at some point that might flip”, he said. SSE, the
UK power company, said generation from its hydropower plants dropped by 40
per cent quarter on quarter to the end of June, as Britain also grappled
with heatwaves and severe drought. Inland nuclear power plants across
France and Switzerland temporarily suspended or reduced activity earlier in
the summer, as it is harder to cool reactors in hot weather.

In France, 17 out of 18 nuclear power plants faced capacity reductions during the
June-July heatwave, Ember said. Most inland nuclear plants rely on rivers
to cool reactors and spent fuel, heating the water in the process before
discharging it back. But with many rivers already hot, the plants could not
discharge heated water without potentially damaging the river ecology.

 FT 3rd Aug 2025, https://www.ft.com/content/23b3dc59-b40f-48e2-ad93-e301de7ac5f2

August 7, 2025 Posted by | climate change, EUROPE | Leave a comment

Miliband’s Nuclear Quango Chief In Line for £200,000 for Working Three Days a Week

 Guido Fawkes 4th Aug 2025, https://order-order.com/2025/08/04/milibands-nuclear-quango-chief-in-line-for-200000-for-working-three-days-a-week/

Great British Energy – Nuclear (not to be confused with the inexplicably separate quango Great British Energy) is searching for a new chairman. ‘GBE-N’, as it is known in the ever growing domain of government bodies poking around in the energy industry, is in charge of delivering small modular reactors (SMRs) in the UK, among other things. That programme has been ongoing since at least 2015…

Now Red Ed is looking for a new head for the organisation – and a live job advert shows a cool salary of more than £203,268 per annum for just three days a week. Meltdown for taxpayers…

The government is banking on deploying SMRs in the 2030s. The new chair will oversee that target with a “more agile, programmatic and faster delivery approach than has been achieved previously”. That won’t be hard, because currently zero SMRs have been delivered. It’s such a civil service priority it’s a three day a week role…

August 7, 2025 Posted by | employment, UK | Leave a comment

Sizewell C to give jobs to hundreds of ex-offenders

 Hundreds of ex-offenders will be hired to work on the construction of the
Sizewell C nuclear power station as part of a drive to generate broader
social and economic benefits from big public infrastructure projects.
Sizewell C, which was given the final go-ahead last month, is already
working with local prisons in Suffolk to design training courses in
welding, construction, engineering and hospitality that are aimed at
equipping inmates with the skills needed to work on the plant.

 The Observer 3rd Aug 2025, https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/a-second-chance-sizewell-c-to-give-jobs-to-hundreds-of-ex-offenders

August 7, 2025 Posted by | employment, UK | Leave a comment

Trump and Zelensky, two cornered rats with no way out of Ukraine catastrophe

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL, 5 Aug 25

Ukraine’s military is being systematically obliterated on the battlefield. US President Trump knows this. Ukraine President Zelensky does as well.

Yet, both are pretending the war can be won on terms favorable to the US and Ukraine. Trump is threatening secondary sanctions on nations buying Russian oil if Russia doesn’t end the war by August 8. Zelensky applauds this threat. Trump is also selling additional weapons to NATO allies to give to Ukraine’s lost cause.

Neither of Trump’s actions will have any effect on Ukraine’s impending battlefield defeat. Trump gets the ‘rat’ designation because he broke his campaign pledge to end the war by withdrawing US support and forcing Ukraine to negotiate the war’s end. But since that signals defeat of the US proxy war to weaken Russia, he clearly has decided it’s better to keep the war going rather than suffer a humiliating defeat. That merely ensures Ukraine’s near complete destruction as a functioning state.

Zelensky earned his ‘rat’ designation when he bailed out of ending the war in April 2022. He was on the cusp of a negotiated settlement with Russia that would have ended Ukraine’s effort to join NATO and guaranteed regional independence for Russian cultured Ukrainians in Donbas. For Ukraine it would have mean no lost territory and no massive casualties or infrastructure destruction. That is classic diplomacy achieving win-win.

But the rat Zelensky caved to US/UK pressure to dump that deal because Zelensky believed US/UK lies he could win simply with continued Western weapons. That, along with Trump’s refusal to end the war after promising to end it, has put Ukraine into a death spiral.

So with no way to win on the battlefield, our cornered rats are risking nuclear war every day this catastrophe continues. Zelensky keeps begging for long range NATO missies to attack deep into Russia. While that has no strategic value, it has value in provoking a Russian nuclear response, something to which Zelensky remains oblivious.

The nuclear risk Trump has embarked upon is even more reckless. He responded to a harmless Russian social media comment about a potential US/Russia nuclear confrontation, by sending two Ohio Class nuclear submarines toward Russian waters. Just as provocative and reckless, Trump’s sent B61-12 nuclear gravity bombs to the UK. These are offensive weapons having nothing do with will standard NATO defensive weaponry. They are the first delivery of these offensive weapons to the UK since removing them in 2008.

To Trump, reckless action is an appropriate response to relatively harmless words. Particularly since Trump is he world champ at using social media to threaten, browbeat friends and foes alike.

It’s not just the beleaguered people of Ukraine whose lives are threatened by the two cornered rats with no sane, safe way out of the lost war in Ukraine. It is all of us.

August 6, 2025 Posted by | Ukraine, USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

EDF shifts nuclear strategy to domestic projects

August 5, 2025, https://www.modernpowersystems.com/news/edf-shifts-nuclear-strategy-to-domestic-projects/?cf-view&cf-closed

rance’s state-run utility EDF is planning to reduce its overseas sales workforce by 60 positions including 10 in management, and withdraw from certain international nuclear projects to concentrate on a domestic construction programme under its new CEO Bernard Fontana, as reported by ReutersFrance is retreating from its position as a global leader in nuclear power, amid rising global demand, allowing new competitors to emerge as high costs and design challenges hinder its international competitiveness.

M. Fontana aims to accelerate the modernisation of France’s nuclear fleet, expressing a commitment to focus on domestic projects rather than the international operations that have previously included reactor construction in China, Finland and Britain. Recent changes include focusing on tenders in the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland, while deprioritising projects in Poland, India and Canada. This shift is expected to cut costs and reallocate resources to higher-priority initiatives. EDF’s recent international projects have experienced significant delays and cost overruns. In 2024, it lost a bid for two new reactors in the Czech Republic to South Korea’s KHNP. 


The French government identifies the new French nuclear programme as a priority. President Emmanuel Macron announced plans in early 2022 for six new reactors to replace ageing plants, with projected costs of €67bn ($78.7bn). But the company is indebted owing to costly repairs made to its nuclear fleet in recent years. EDF is considering the sale of certain renewable energy assets in North America and Brazil.

August 6, 2025 Posted by | business and costs, France | Leave a comment

Sellafield nuclear plant contractors to strike

 BBC 5th Aug 2025,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg38w4xly3o

Workers supplying the Sellafield nuclear site have voted in favour of strike action over pay.

Almost 40 workers at Fellside Combined Heat and Power facility, the plant supplying the steam and power to the Cumbria site, will take industrial action on 19 and 20 August after rejecting two pay offers.

Owned by PX Ltd, Unite workers are also undertaking an overtime ban.

PX Ltd said it was unable to comment as another meeting was due to take place with the union on Wednesday. A spokesperson for Sellafield said the site was not “directly involved in the dispute”.

The final pay offer was 3.5 to 5% depending on a set of criteria, Unite said.

Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “PX Limited can clearly afford to pay our members for the vital work they do but is choosing to put profits over people.

“This dispute is completely caused by the employer’s greed.”

A spokesperson for Sellafield added: “As always, the safety and security of the Sellafield site, our workforce and the local community will be our priority during any industrial action.”

August 6, 2025 Posted by | employment, UK | Leave a comment

Ukraine hacks Russian submarine as Moscow expands Arctic presence

 Ukraine claims to have pulled off a major hacking operation, obtaining
classified data on a new Russian nuclear submarine and revealing potential
vulnerabilities as Moscow intensifies its military presence in the Arctic.

 Times 3rd Aug 2025, https://www.thetimes.com/world/russia-ukraine-war/article/ukraine-hacks-russian-submarine-as-moscow-expands-arctic-presence-2tmwc8dn5

August 6, 2025 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, Ukraine | Leave a comment

Melting glaciers threaten to wipe out European villages – is the steep cost to protect them worth it?

 Melting glaciers threaten to wipe out European villages – is the steep
cost to protect them worth it? Switzerland spends almost $500m a year on
protective structures, but a report carried out in 2007 for the Swiss
parliament suggested real protection against natural hazards could cost six
times that. Is that a worthwhile investment? Or should the country – and
residents – really consider the painful option of abandoning some of their
villages?

 BBC 3rd Aug 2025,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4w9ggzxv4o

August 5, 2025 Posted by | climate change, EUROPE | Leave a comment

IAEA reports hearing explosions, sees smoke near Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

 The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Saturday that its
team at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) heard explosions
and saw smoke coming from a nearby location. The nuclear plant said one of
its auxiliary facilities was attacked today, IAEA said in a statement.

 Reuters 2nd Aug 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/iaea-reports-hearing-explosions-sees-smoke-near-ukraines-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-2025-08-02/

August 5, 2025 Posted by | safety, Ukraine | Leave a comment

Anti-nuclear weapons demo takes place at Faslane base

HM Naval Base Clyde is home to the Royal Navy’s four Vanguard-class submarines – HMS Vanguard, Vengeance, Victorious and Vigilant – which each carry Trident 2 D5 nuclear missiles.

Gemma Ryder Reporter, 02 Aug 2025,
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/anti-nuclear-weapons-demo-takes-35664128

The “No To Nuclear Weapons” gathering was organised by Justice & Peace Scotland, and brought people of all faiths together for prayer, reflection, and a public stance against nuclear arms.

Those in attendance included Most Rev William Nolan, Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow and Bishop-President of Justice & Peace Scotland; Rt Rev Rosie Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland; and Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

They were joined by members of the Quakers, the Iona Community, the United Reformed Church, and other religious groups amid growing global tensions.

The UK is preparing to upgrade and expand its nuclear weapons system and President Trump ordered two nuclear submarines to be deployed “in the appropriate regions” in response to comments by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on social media.

Archbishop Nolan said: “The phrase ‘never again’ gained much currency 80 years ago.

“But the actions of nuclear powers, including our own, run contrary to that.

“As the late Pope Benedict articulated, the very concept of a nuclear deterrence has instead fuelled an arms race as those on opposing sides keep seeking to outdo the other.

“We have seen this in the replacement for Trident. Deterrence itself, therefore, has increased insecurity and does nothing to build up trust which is necessary to encourage disarmament and build up peace.”

HM Naval Base Clyde — located near Helensburgh on the Gare Loch — is home to the UK’s four Vanguard-class submarines, each armed with Trident 2 D5 nuclear missiles, capable of striking targets up to 4,000 miles away.

Rt Rev Frew said: “On the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it seems right to stand with other Christians saying ‘No’ to nuclear weapons and ‘Yes’ to peace.

“My hope and prayer is to live in a world without war or the threat of war, a world without the threat of the deployment of nuclear weapons.

“I know opinion is very divided on holding nuclear weapons but I don’t believe anyone would ever wish them to be deployed, both those who will gather outside and those who serve in HM Naval Base Clyde.

“The Church of Scotland stands in solidarity with all those who work at Faslane in the service of the United Kingdom, while praying for peace in a world where there is no threat of nuclear weapons ever being used.”

Justice & Peace Scotland said the use and threat of nuclear weapons is incompatible with Christian teaching, and called on political leaders to reject a future based on “fear and power-wielding”.

They added: “Nuclear weapons are fundamentally incompatible with this call as their existence threatens indiscriminate destruction and a future built on fear and power-wielding rather than on fraternity amongst nations.”

August 5, 2025 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, Religion and ethics, UK | Leave a comment

Metsamor could trigger next global nuclear emergency and Armenians denying it.

 Metsamor could trigger next global nuclear emergency and Armenians denying
it. In recent days, several Armenian news channels (websites) have been
engaged in a smear campaign, asserting that the Azerbaijani media has
“falsely” highlighted the Metsamor nuclear power plant under the guise of
“propaganda for the country’s politics.” They claim that Armenia’s nuclear
power plant does not pose any threat to the region and that the allegations
against it are unfounded. However, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and even Georgia
have periodically asserted that this plant presents a significant threat
and have repeatedly submitted resolutions to the International Atomic
Energy Agency addressing their concerns. In this article, we will discover
how problematic and valid the notion of posing a threat is, for Metsamor
Plant.

 Azer News 2nd Aug 2025,
https://www.azernews.az/analysis/245496.html

August 5, 2025 Posted by | EUROPE, safety | Leave a comment