Environmental groups urge regulators to shut down California reactor over safety, testing concerns.
Daily Mail, By ASSOCIATED PRESS, 15 September 2023
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Environmental groups called on federal regulators Thursday to immediately shut down one of two reactors at California´s last nuclear power plant until tests can be conducted on critical machinery they believe could fail and cause a catastrophe.
Friends of the Earth and Mothers for Peace said in a petition filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that tests and inspections have been delayed for nearly 20 years on the pressure vessel in the Unit 1 reactor at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Instead, the groups argue, operator Pacific Gas & Electric has relied on data from similar reactor vessels to justify continued operations at Diablo Canyon, while dismissing indications that the steel wall in Unit 1 might be deteriorating from sustained exposure to radiation and is becoming susceptible to cracking, a condition technically known as embrittlement.
“We will not sit idly by while PG&E cuts corners on Unit 1´s safety,” Hallie Templeton, legal director for Friends of the Earth, said in a statement.
The vessels are thick steel containers that hold nuclear fuel and cooling water in the reactors.
The statement from the anti-nuclear groups contended that PG&E “has repeatedly postponed essential metallurgical tests and ultrasound inspections over the past two decades” on the vessel…………………………………..
The petition, filed Thursday in Washington, was accompanied by a 46-page report by Digby Macdonald, a University of California, Berkeley, professor in nuclear engineering and materials science, who wrote that continued operation of the Unit 1 reactor “poses an unreasonable risk to public health and safety due to serious indications of an unacceptable degree of embrittlement.”
“The reactor should be closed until PG&E obtains and analyzes additional data regarding its condition,” wrote Macdonald, who was retained by the environmental groups.
The petition asks the NRC to convene a hearing to review a 2003 decision by agency staff to extend the testing schedule for the Unit 1 pressure vessel until 2025. According to the groups, the last inspections on the vessel took place between 2003 and 2005. The utility postponed further testing in favor of using results from similar reactors to justify continued operations, they said.
In his report, Macdonald concludes PG&E should have accelerated its testing schedule, not delayed it, to assess possible defects. He noted that unlike most other reactor safety components, the pressure vessel has no independent backup system that can be called upon if it should crack or fracture and lose essential cooling water.
He added that obtaining more testing data on Unit 1 is especially important because its steel has excessive copper and nickel content “that render it more vulnerable to embrittlement.”
The “NRC currently lacks an adequate basis to conclude that Diablo Canyon Unit 1 can be operated safely,” Macdonald said.
Construction at Diablo Canyon began in the 1960s. Critics have long argued that potential shaking from nearby earthquake faults not recognized when the design was approved could damage equipment and release radiation. One nearby fault was not discovered until 2008. The groups argue that the embrittlement assessment is even more critical, given the plant’s seismic vulnerabilities………… https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-12519587/Environmental-groups-urge-regulators-shut-California-reactor-safety-testing-concerns.html
50 US Lawmakers Reintroduce ‘CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act’ to Protect ‘the American Way of Life’
BY PATRICIA HARRITY ON
Fifty U.S. lawmakers have reintroduced the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act to prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a retail Central Bank Digital Currency while protecting innovation and any future development of true digital cash. This is in direct opposition to the Globalists and the WEF agenda that seeks to enslave and remove all personal freedoms and privacy with CCP-style credit scores and surveillance.
U.S. Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN) who has been a longtime advocate that any Fed-issued digital dollar (central bank digital currency) remain open, permissionless, and private announced on Tuesday that he and 49 other lawmakers have reintroduced the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act “to halt the efforts of unelected bureaucrats in Washington D.C. from issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) that dismantles Americans’ right to financial privacy.”
“If not open, permissionless, and private — like cash — a CBDC is nothing more than a CCP-style surveillance tool that can be weaponized to oppress the American way of life.” argues the congressman, “President Biden is willing to compromise the American people’s right to financial privacy for a surveillance-style CBDC. I don’t believe in compromising Americans’ rights,” he added.
CBDC Power
In many Western countries, including England, the USA, and Australia, banks are continuing to push towards the goal of Central Bank Digital Currencies as the only money as they plan to completely phase out cash use before the end of 2024. Individuals may argue that they already mostly use digital banking and debit or credit cards.
However, we have witnessed the freezing of the bank accounts of protesters in 2022 by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau simply for standing against the tyrannical restrictions of the plandemic, and hundreds of personal bank accounts were frozen under special powers.
Although yes, banks already have the power to close your account if they deem it necessary at the moment there is a small number of people already dealing with this, with their only offence being buying Bitcoin or questioning why the banks need to know what we’re doing with our money or questioning the banks ever tightening rules about holding an account with them, imagine what’s going to happen with CBDCs as the only legal currency says Brad Bleckwehl author of from the gutter up.
He continues:
“If you think the careers, contracts, and accounts of famous people getting canceled for saying or doing something that offends has nothing to do with you.. think about how ever-tightening PC culture is growing, and how authoritarian our Western governments have been becoming in recent years.”
“They’re literally trying to pass misinformation and censorship bills so they can legally control what we’re allowed to talk about. Combine the loss of freedom of speech with the ability to blackball us financially by freezing CBDCs, and we’re headed to a very bleak time for society. It’s not just going to be what is currently considered socially acceptable or not, it’s going to be forced behavior, forced ways of thinking. Look at how they bullied us with covid vaxxes.” (source).
The news of this pushback against the authoritarian control of our finances is huge
CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act Updated, Reintroduced
Congressman Emmer posted on social media platform X: “Today, with 49 of my Republican colleagues, I reintroduced the CBDC Anti Surveillance State Act.” (source)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
“Bottom Line: If not open, permissionless, and private — like cash — a CBDC is nothing more than a CCP-style surveillance tool that can be weaponized to oppress the American way of life,” the lawmaker concluded,
The House Financial Services Committee will consider his bill this month. more https://expose-news.com/2023/09/14/50-us-lawmakers-reintroduce-cbdc-anti-surveillance-state-act-to-protect-the-american-way-of-life/
Earth ‘well outside safe operating space for humanity’, scientists find
1
Earth’s life support systems have been so damaged that the planet is
“well outside the safe operating space for humanity”, scientists have
warned.
Their assessment found that six out of nine “planetary
boundaries” had been broken because of human-caused pollution and
destruction of the natural world. The planetary boundaries are the limits
of key global systems – such as climate, water and wildlife diversity –
beyond which their ability to maintain a healthy planet is in danger of
failing.
The broken boundaries mean the systems have been driven far from
the safe and stable state that existed from the end of the last ice age,
10,000 years ago, to the start of the industrial revolution. The whole of
modern civilisation arose in this time period, called the Holocene.
Guardian 13th Sept 2023
Sunak gives China green light to build UK nuclear plants despite nationbeing ‘threat to our way of life’
The Government has rejected calls
for Chinese state-linked firms to be excluded entirely from Britain’s
nuclear sector. China will not be permanently barred from investing in
Britain’s nuclear energy despite posing a “threat to our open and
democratic way of life”, the Government has said.
Ministers were accused
of a “patronising” and “misleading” approach by senior
Conservatives after ruling out a ban and insisting existing rules on China
are already tough enough. A committee of MPs suggested that allowing firms
with links to the Beijing regime to be involved in the civil nuclear sector
provided an “incentive and opportunity for espionage”.
In its response,
the Government said that it would consider new ways to scrutinise China’s
involvement in Hinkley Point C, which is already well under way, but would
not impose a blanket ban. It said: “The Government will continuously
review measures to ensure that economic security and critical national
infrastructure is protected. All investment involving critical
infrastructure is subject to thorough scrutiny and needs to satisfy strong
legal, regulatory, and national security requirements.” Future nuclear
projects would be “subject to these individual assessments” in which
the Government characterises as “a one step at a time approach” –
although a Chinese firm has already been bought out of the Sizewell C
project in which it was originally an investor.
iNews 14th Sept 2023
Top candidate for head of European Investment Bank cautions about defense, nuclear investments
France has been pushing for a candidate sympathetic to steering the EIB funds to nuclear projects and defense investments.
Vestager cautions about defense, nuclear investments in EIB pitch
BY PAOLA TAMMA. SEPTEMBER 15, 2023, Politico
The European Investment Bank is ‘for everybody,’ Dane says in an effort to win wider support for job bid.
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain — The European Investment Bank should not become a “political fighting arena” for investments in nuclear energy or defense, said Margrethe Vestager, who’s trying to convince European Union finance ministers to pick her to head the powerful government-backed lender.
Vestager, currently on leave as EU digital and antitrust chief, is one of the top candidates to take over from President Werner Hoyer next year and lead the bank that finances EU policies, from fighting climate change to rebuilding Ukraine.
She stressed that a successful candidate needed broad support, including smaller countries, because “the bank is for everybody, big shareholders as well as small shareholders,” she told POLITICO on the sidelines of a finance ministers’ gathering in Santiago de Compostela.
France and Germany, who together with Italy, account for nearly half of the bank’s capital, haven’t said who they will back. France has been pushing for a candidate sympathetic to steering the EIB funds to nuclear projects and defense investments. It also wants someone willing for the cautious lender to take on more risks.
Germany has emphasized that “sound banking is essential” and that “the mission of the EIB mustn’t be overstretched,” Finance Minister Christian Lindner said ahead of the meeting.
Nuclear “is a good example of the fact that the bank should not be a political fighting arena,” Vestager said. The EIB “should not take sides” and should “engage in processes that maybe can find a new balance.”……………more https://www.politico.eu/article/margrethe-vestager-nuclear-defense-eib-european-investment-bank-pitch-smaller-nations/
UN Nuclear Watchdog Risks Running Out of Money on US, China Standoff
- IAEA may ‘grind to a halt’ in a month because of unpaid dues
- Clash over influence puts nuclear power’s growth at risk
Bloomberg, By Jonathan Tirone, September 16, 2023
The International Atomic Energy Agency may soon run out of money to monitor the world’s nuclear stockpiles because the US, China and others aren’t paying their dues, marking the latest frontline in the tug of war between Washington and Beijing for influence.
Draft documents seen by Bloomberg show a hole of about €220 million ($235 million) in the watchdog’s €650 million budget for this year, with the US and China being the biggest debtors. The Vienna-based agency ensures that nuclear fuel used to generate electricity isn’t diverted for weapons, regulates global nuclear-safety standards and provides developing nations with access to technologies.
The US and China — also the biggest donors at a more than a combined €137 million — are increasingly at loggerheads over issues such as Japan’s release of treated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant and Australia’s intention to buy nuclear-powered submarines. Countries traditionally exert pressure on the United Nations’ agency’s purse strings to sway its decision-making.
Both the American and Chinese missions to the IAEA declined requests for comment. In a diplomatic note circulated late Wednesday, the Chinese government said the IAEA was at risk of privatization by Western nations that have control over its board of governors.
“The ‘independent role’ of the secretariat in fulfilling its duties must be based on the understanding and support of member states,” China’s envoy, Li Song, said in a separate statement posted on the embassy’s website.
Who Regulates the Global Nuclear Industry?
European, US nationals run the IAEA with more than 56% of all jobs
It’s the second time in a month IAEA governance issues have bubbled to to the surface, with the cash crunch exposing another potential weak link for a nuclear industry that leans heavily on regulators. ……………
“We may be grinding to a halt in a month if we don’t get the money that is owed,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said Monday. “It’s time for some important countries to walk the walk.”………………………………………..
Under the motto “Atoms for Peace,” the IAEA was founded by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1957 to commercialize nuclear-energy technologies first developed for weapons………….. more https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-14/us-china-tug-of-war-is-choking-nuclear-watchdog-s-finances#xj4y7vzkg
USA can’t get investors for Small Nuclear Reactors: no problem – flog them off to Ghana!
U.S. Announces New Support for Ghana’s Civil Nuclear Energy Program under the FIRST Capacity Building Program
US Embassy in Ghana 16 Sept 23
Accra, Ghana – U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Ann Ganzer joined Ghanaian counterparts today to announce further U.S. support for establishing Ghana as a Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR) Regional Training Hub and center of excellence for the sub-Saharan African region……………………………………………………………………………………….
Chris Hedges: Stella Assange Speaks Out on the Conditions of Julian Assange’s Imprisonment
SCHEERPOST, September 14, 2023
Julian Assange has languished in Belmarsh Prison in the UK since 2019 as he fights extradition to the US to face prosecution under the Espionage Act.
Prison is always a political tool, and in the case of whistleblowers like Julian Assange, the use of incarceration to suppress, discourage, and silence dissent is self-evident. Since being imprisoned, Assange has married and even started a family—but has been kept apart from his wife and children. In the second part of a two-part conversation, Stella Assange and Chris Hedges discuss the conditions of Julian’s incarceration, and how it offers a glimpse into the overall brutality of the prison system……………………………………………………
Nuclear Free Local Authorities concerned over safety risks regarding nuclear-armed U.S. base planned for RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk
A combination of tremendous heroism, good fortune and the will of
God” – will this be the future of safety at a nuclear-armed Lakenheath?
With evidence mounting that the United States Air Force intends to return
nuclear weapons to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, the Nuclear Free Local
Authorities have written to emergency planners in the county, and on their
recommendation now to the Ministry of Defence, to question their
preparedness for any future accident involving the destruction of a
military aircraft carrying nuclear weapons, either at Lakenheath or in
transit to or from the airbase.
NFLA 14th Sept 2023
Banish Nuclear Weapons ‘to History Books, Once and for All’, Urges Secretary-General, Marking International Day
https://press.un.org/en/2023/sgsm21936.doc.htm 13 Sept 23
Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, observed on 26 September:
The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons reminds us that a peaceful future depends on ending the nuclear threat.
Geopolitical mistrust and competition have spiked the nuclear risk to cold war levels. Meanwhile, hard-won progress over many decades to prevent the use, spread and testing of nuclear weapons is being undone.
On this important Day, we reaffirm our commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons and the humanitarian catastrophe their use would unleash.
This means nuclear-weapon States leading the way by meeting their disarmament obligations, and committing to never use nuclear weapons under any circumstances.
It means strengthening the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, including through the Treaties on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
It means all countries that have not yet ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to do so without delay, and for those States that possess nuclear weapons to ensure a moratorium on all nuclear testing.
It means taking into account the evolving nuclear order, and addressing the blurring lines between strategic and conventional weapons and the nexus with new and emerging technologies.
Above all, it means deploying the timeless tools of dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation to ease tensions and end the nuclear threat. The recently launched policy brief on a New Agenda for Peace calls on Member States to urgently recommit to this important cause.
The only way to eliminate the nuclear risk is to eliminate nuclear weapons. Let’s work together to banish these devices of destruction to the history books, once and for all.
Radioactive material leaks detected at Japan’s plutonium nuclear fuel research facility
New Straits Times By Bernama – September 13, 2023
TOKYO: The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has confirmed the detection of radioactive material leaks in one of its nuclear fuel research facilities but reported no adverse effects on the health of the staff or the surrounding environment, Xinhua quoted local media reports.
The leaks were detected within the Plutonium Fuel Development Room No. 3 at the JAEA’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, located in Tokai Village, Ibaraki Prefecture, national news agency Kyodo reported, citing the agency.
Last Friday, the Plutonium Fuel Development Room No. 3 identified pollution caused by radioactive materials at four locations within the facility.
The pollution was discovered during a routine inspection of the glovebox equipment, which is designed to be airtight………………………..
At present, the cause of the radioactive material leak is under investigation. Authorities at the laboratories suspected that the radioactive materials may have seeped out of the equipment. –BERNAMA https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2023/09/954873/radioactive-material-leaks-detected-japans-nuclear-fuel-research-facility
NATO’s Steadfast Defender Drills Near Russia Signal Bloc’s Shift to ‘War Footing’
Ilya Tsukanov, Sputnik News 11 Sept 23
All thirty-one NATO countries plus Sweden are reportedly gearing up to conduct the bloc’s biggest military drills since the Cold War in early 2024. Sputnik reached out to Michael Maloof, a former security policy analyst with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, to get a sense of the risks posed by the exercises.
British business media reported Monday that NATO plans to hold large-scale exercises across Germany, Poland and the Baltic countries between February and March of 2024, with the drills’ pretext being to practice “repelling Russian aggression” against allies. The drills, dubbed Steadfast Defender 24, are set to involve up to 41,000 troops, 50 warships, and to feature between 500-700 air combat missions, according to sources familiar with the plans.
The exercises are the first of their kind since 2021, with the alliance previously mostly avoiding large-scale exercises in Russia’s direct vicinity amid concerns about Moscow’s possible reaction amid repeated warnings by Russian Foreign Intelligence that some NATO countries may be preparing to transform the Ukrainian proxy conflict into a direct shooting war with Russia.
The drills are “designed to put Russia and allies in the most unfavorable position,” former Pentagon analyst Michael Maloof told Sputnik.
Pointing to the exercises’ expected heavy focus on air power, something Ukraine has lacked utterly throughout its three-month long counteroffensive this summer, Maloof emphasized that the drills appear aimed at going “from being reactionary in terms of reacting to a crisis, to actually going on a war footing” on NATO’s part, “assuming that there’s an invasion, and that Russia has allies participating.”
The exercises will be meant to “show coordination on a wartime footing,” the observer said, and NATO will likely use experience gained by observing fighting in Ukraine to “coordinate their air, sea, land, but also their space and cyber capabilities together.”
“That said,” Maloof noted, “the reality is” that much of NATO’s stocks of war materiel “have been depleted because of Ukraine,” with Europe and the United States each running low on weapons and ammunition after sending nearly $100 billion in arms assistance to Kiev over the past 18 months.
“If, in fact, there was a war, Russia would certainly activate ships and other aircraft and what have you in international waters and perhaps off the coast of the United States to deal with” US attempts to set up a logistical supply train across the Atlantic.
The observer doesn’t believe that the alliance is “really ready for a real confrontation and real head-on war” with Russia, with any conflagration certain to result in “tremendous losses.”…………………. more https://sputnikglobe.com/20230911/natos-steadfast-defender-drills-near-russia-signal-blocs-shift-to-war-footing-1113292863.html
Germany’s Scholz: Fresh nuclear disarmament talks should include China
Reuters, September 12, 2023 https://www.reuters.com/world/germanys-scholz-fresh-nuclear-disarmament-talks-should-include-china-2023-09-12/
BERLIN, Sept 12 (Reuters) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for new international negotiations on nuclear disarmament on Tuesday, saying that not only Russia and the United States but also China should be involved.
“Getting a fresh start on arms control would be very important,” he said at a religious event in Berlin, adding that several other countries had also built up a nuclear arsenal.
Preventing Iran from producing uranium that could contribute to nuclear weapon production “remains an important task,” he said.
Scholz said nuclear weapons posed an existential threat to humanity, which is why there is an “immediate obligation” to do everything possible to ensure they are never used.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the number of operational nuclear weapons rose slightly in 2022 as countries implemented long-term force modernisation and expansion plans.
Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Writing by Friederike Heine, Editing by Miranda Murray
Elon Musk’s X venture – leading us into a digital prison?
X marks the spot
Global Sovereignty Solutions, globalsovereigntysolutions.substack.com, Wed, 26 Jul 2023
Intro
When I read that Elon Musk was buying Twitter for $44 billion USD, it seemed really odd at first. It didn’t make sense to me.
After I thought about it for a bit, it clicked.
I considered Musk’s connections to intelligence agencies and the MIC (Military Industrial Complex). After all, tech companies are basically front companies for the former, and his involvement with SpaceX means he’s deep with various military organizations – and it also means he must have a very high-level security clearance.
I also considered that Musk’s largest business ventures are centered around government in some way too. Tesla (and the solar company) are eligible for massive subsidies for buyers. SpaceX’s contracts are government/military. The guy knows how to position himself well, that’s for sure.
This Twitter/X venture is no different. It’s all part of the digital prison the social engineers are working to erect all around us.
Here’s where it’s heading.
Digital ID system
I’ve been sending out a warning online about how this move to X Corp. isn’t just some corporate re-branding strategy.
It’s not because Elon doesn’t like blue birds. Or maybe he does, who knows.
It’s about a massive push towards centralization of internet access and one’s ability to function in an ever-increasing online world.
To be able to function in modern society – online as so many of us are – there will be various compliance measures. These measures will strip away the thin veneer of privacy that already exists.
Musk said he bought it so that he could create an ‘everything app,’ similar to WeChat in China. He wants an app that combines, or aggregates, various apps we already use, into one centralized app.
Musk wants the ability to share memes, to do video calls, to bank – all in a single app.
Sounds convenient, but convenience is always the enemy of freedom.
Payment systems
Musk originally wanted PayPal to be what X is becoming – a superapp where people can do a variety of activities on, but also as a financial/payment platform. Apparently this helped get him ousted as CEO.
More recently, Musk has said this about Twitter/X:
In the months to come, we will add comprehensive communications and the ability to conduct your entire financial world.
Whether this is run on fiat currency, Doge, BTC, or something else remains to be seen. I’m sure it’ll be an iterative process. Many in the BTC space are already calling for BTC to be the main player here, but it’s too soon to tell. I’m sure it’ll be a ledger system that allows them to see – and more importantly, censor – certain activities.
Regardless, it ties in exactly with what the central planners want.
World Economic Forum (WEF)
The WEF has been pushing for a Digital ID for years now……………
Similar to what Musk described above, right? An ‘everything app’ along with biometric data, among many other sensitive information, to then function in society.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Musk’s connections to intelligence
In addition to the aforementioned reasons to be concerned, is that Musk has deep connections to intelligence agencies and the military.
The major social media companies are basically fronts for the intelligence companies. Gathering data, manipulating public opinion, etc.
And his work with SpaceX means he’s integrally linked to various military/government contracts. He must have a high-level security clearance. He knows some serious inner-workings of the US and other governments.
I don’t doubt that these same agencies put up or loaned a portion, if not the majority, of that $44 billion.
Musk has also mentioned how WeChat is essentially a blueprint for what he wants.
Again, this is the Chinese model they want to push onto the rest of the world – remember that.
From Wikipedia,
WeChat has been described as China’s “app for everything” and a super-app because of its wide range of functions. WeChat provides text messaging, hold-to-talk voice messaging, broadcast (one-to-many) messaging, video conferencing, video games, mobile payment, sharing of photographs and videos and location sharing.
That’s exactly what Musk has described.
Now read this part, also from Wikipedia,
Accounts registered using Chinese phone numbers are managed under the Weixin brand, and their data is stored in mainland China and subject to Weixin’s terms of service and privacy policy, which forbids content which “endanger[s] national security, divulge[s] state secrets, subvert[s] state power and undermine[s] national unity”. Non-Chinese numbers are registered under WeChat, and WeChat users are subject to a different, less strict terms of service and stricter privacy policy, and their data is stored in the Netherlands for users in the European Union, and in Singapore for other users. User activity on Weixin, the Chinese version of the app, is analyzed, tracked and shared with Chinese authorities upon request as part of the mass surveillance network in China. Chinese-registered Weixin accounts censor politically sensitive topics.
A ‘private’ company with such incredibly critical and sensitive information that will most certainly engage in censorship. They’ll certainly comply with government demands too.
That’s what X is on the path to becoming.……………………………….. https://www.sott.net/article/484377-X-marks-the-spot
Ukrainians blame Zelensky for corruption – poll
https://www.rt.com/news/582796-ukraine-corruption-poll-zelensky-responsible/ 13 Sept 23
Nearly eight in ten citizens believe the country’s president is “directly responsible” for rampant graft, a new survey has shown
The vast majority of Ukrainians believe that President Vladimir Zelensky is at fault for widespread corruption in the country’s government and military, a new study has revealed.
The poll, released on Monday, found that 78% of Ukrainian adults see Zelensky as “directly responsible” for Kiev’s corruption problem. It was conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Charitable Foundation and the Kiev International Institute of Sociology.
Prior to the launch of Russia’s military offensive in February 2022, Ukraine consistently ranked among the world’s most corrupt nations, but it was touted as a bastion of freedom and democracy as the US and its NATO allies rallied public support for massive aid to Kiev. However, Ukrainian corruption remains a concern and could hinder the country’s bid to join the European Union, an unidentified Western diplomat told Politico on Monday.
Ukraine is a “very corrupt country,” the diplomat said, adding that Zelensky’s plan to use the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to prosecute graft cases could “send the wrong message.” Upon landing in Kiev for a surprise visit on Monday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reportedly said Ukraine needed to step up its efforts to fight corruption.
The Ukrainian poll was conducted from July 3 to July 17 in face-to-face interviews with thousands of citizens across the country. There were no major differences in findings based on region or socioeconomic factors. Respondents aged 60 and older took a harsher view, with 81% saying Zelensky was responsible for government corruption. The rate was 70% in the youngest segment, ages 17 to 29. Overall, only 18% of Ukrainian adults disagreed with the statement that Zelensky bears responsibility.
Documents obtained by the International Association of Investigative Journalists in 2021 showed that Zelensky and his business partners set up offshore companies to purchase lavish properties in central London. Zelensky transferred his stake in one of the companies to an aide just before he was elected president in 2019. Supporters of former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko accused Zelensky and his associates of using their offshore accounts to evade taxes.
Zelensky has purged officials in his government for alleged corruption, including an embezzlement scheme involving humanitarian aid. Just this month, he sacked Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov, who came under fire earlier this year over purchases of military rations at inflated prices. However, the new defense chief, Rustem Umerov, is reportedly under investigation for alleged crimes in his previous job.
-
Archives
- October 2026 (112)
- September 2026 (339)
- August 2026 (330)
- July 2026 (355)
- June 2026 (287)
- May 2026 (306)
- April 2026 (356)
- March 2026 (251)
- February 2026 (267)
- January 2026 (308)
- December 2025 (358)
- November 2025 (359)
-
Categories
- 1
- 1 NUCLEAR ISSUES
- business and costs
- climate change
- culture and arts
- ENERGY
- environment
- health
- history
- indigenous issues
- Legal
- marketing of nuclear
- media
- opposition to nuclear
- PERSONAL STORIES
- politics
- politics international
- Religion and ethics
- safety
- secrets,lies and civil liberties
- spinbuster
- technology
- Uranium
- wastes
- weapons and war
- Women
- 2 WORLD
- ACTION
- AFRICA
- Atrocities
- AUSTRALIA
- Christina's notes
- Christina's themes
- culture and arts
- Events
- Fuk 2022
- Fuk 2023
- Fukushima 2017
- Fukushima 2018
- fukushima 2019
- Fukushima 2020
- Fukushima 2021
- general
- global warming
- Humour (God we need it)
- Nuclear
- RARE EARTHS
- Reference
- resources – print
- Resources -audiovicual
- Weekly Newsletter
- World
- World Nuclear
- YouTube
-
RSS
Entries RSS
Comments RSS
