LLAW’s All Things Nuclear #839, Thursday, (12/26/2024)

NUCLEAR INSANITY & THE LAST DAYS OF HUMAN DEPRAVITY . . . ~ LLAW

Image description and photo credit in the article

LLAW’s NUCLEAR WORLD NEWS TODAY AND THE RISKS & CONSEQUENCES OF TOMORROW

These following statements are the final two paragraphs in this “Al Jazeera” article, and may help explain this attack on Ukraine on Christmas Day:

“Both sides are racing to secure an advantage before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised a swift end to the conflict.

This has led to concerns that Washington might push Kyiv into accepting a settlement favourable to Moscow.”

Someone said, ”All’s fair in love and war”, and a Christmas Day attack could be a signal from Russia that Ukraine will not be allowed to continue their independence and young democracy by remaining a US/NATO supported county. Trump’s role is questionable, but his concept to end the war will most likely be to offer in Russia’s favor, which, if Kiev agrees, n doubt under distress, will give the Kremlin back to Putin — the same place it was before Putin was at the end of Trump’s first term as president, but without Trump’s U.S. authority, the renewed military attacks by Russia on Ukraine was reignited in early February of 2022, no longer blessed with Trump’s then out-of -office apolitical support to Moscow. ~llaw

News|Russia-Ukraine war

Biden condemns Russia’s ‘outrageous’ Christmas attack on Ukraine

Biden promises surge in weapons deliveries to Ukraine after drone and missile barrage hits its power grid.

A rescuer from the State Emergency Service works to put out a fire in a private house after a drone attack in Kharkiv, on December 25, 2024 [Sergey Bobok/AFP]

Published On 26 Dec 202426 Dec 2024

United States President Joe Biden has labelled as “outrageous” a Russian Christmas day attack on Ukraine’s power grid, promising a “surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine”.

Moscow launched more than 170 missiles and drones on Ukraine on Wednesday, targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The strikes, which killed an energy worker, hit a thermal power plant and prompted Ukrainians to take shelter in metro stations on Christmas morning.

“The United States will continue to work tirelessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in its defence against Russian forces,” the outgoing president said in a statement.

“The purpose of this outrageous attack was to cut off the Ukrainian people’s access to heat and electricity during winter and to jeopardise the safety of its grid,” Biden added.

The strikes on Ukrainian fuel and energy sources included 78 air, ground and sea-launched missiles as well as 106 Shaheds and other types of drones, Ukraine’s air force said. It claimed to have intercepted 59 missiles and 54 drones, with 52 more drones being jammed.

“Putin deliberately chose Christmas to attack. What could be more inhumane?” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X. “The target is our energy infrastructure.”

This was the 13th large-scale strike on Ukraine’s energy system this year, the latest in Russia’s campaign targeting the power grid during winter.

Ukrainian plots foiled

Meanwhile, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Thursday that it had thwarted a plan by Ukrainian intelligence to kill senior Russian officers and their families in Moscow, according to the state-run TASS news agency.

Earlier this month, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, chief of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops, was killed by Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service in Moscow when a bomb attached to an electric scooter exploded.

Russia on Thursday said five people had died in Ukrainian attacks and from a falling drone in the border region of Kursk and North Ossetia in the Caucasus on Wednesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday cautioned that Russia would respond to Ukraine’s attacks, carried out with Western missiles and drones.

Russia targets only military facilities and infrastructure and “it’s not in our rules to strike civilian targets,” Lavrov said.

Ukrainians in traditional clothes take part in a Christmas procession at Sofiivska Square in Kyiv, on December 25, 2024 [Anatolii Stepanov/AFP]

Celebrating Christmas amid attacks

Ukraine officially celebrated Christmas on December 25 for the second time, after the government last year changed the date from January 7, when most Orthodox believers celebrate, as a snub to Russia.

Nearly 200 people paraded through the centre of Kyiv, singing Christmas carols.

The Christmas day attack also targeted Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, located near the Russian border. At least seven strikes sparked fires across the city, regional head Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram. At least three people were injured, local authorities said.

Attacks continued overnight, with the Ukrainian military announcing on Thursday it shot down 20 drones out of 31 launched by Russia.

Outnumbered Ukrainian forces are now on the back foot across the front line in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions further south, ceding ground to better-equipped Russian troops.

Both sides are racing to secure an advantage before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised a swift end to the conflict.

This has led to concerns that Washington might push Kyiv into accepting a settlement favourable to Moscow.

Keep reading

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Is Ukraine’s largest church still pro-Russian?

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Russian attacks kill one in Ukraine, damage energy infrastructure

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Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,036

end of list

ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’a ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:

(Please note that the Sunday and Saturday NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS are also added below by category, following Monday’s news posts in order to maintain continuity of nuclear news as well as for research for the overall information provided in “LLAW;s All Things Nuclear”.)

There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:

1. All Things Nuclear

2. Nuclear Power

3. Nuclear Power Emergencies

4. Nuclear War

5. Nuclear War Threats

6. Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are three Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in today’s Post.)

7. IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)

Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.

A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.

TODAY’s NUCLEAR WORLD’s NEWS, Thursday, (12/26/2024)

All Things Nuclear

NEWS

Opinion | Nuclear Weapons Are Not a Fact of Life - The New York Times

The New York Times

... all played crucial roles in challenging the nuclear status quo. Thanks ... A key tool is to change the way we talk about nuclear weapons.

Westinghouse's Microreactor Milestone: a New Era in Nuclear Power? | Watch - MSN

MSN

The eVinci microreactor promises efficient, long-lasting energy production on a small footprint, but concerns about nuclear waste and safety persist.

AI energy demand creates nuclear renaissance, but it's not without critics | The National

The National

There is still debate and continuing studies about the potential health effects stemming from the accident. Constellation briefly touched upon the ..

Nuclear Power

NEWS

Japan to maximize nuclear power, bolster renewable energy as electricity demand grows

PBS

The policy says nuclear energy should account for 20 percent of Japan's energy supply in 2040, with renewables expanded to 40-50 percent and ...

Milei Announces AI-Linked Nuclear Power Plants in Argentina | Firstpost America - YouTube

YouTube

Milei Announces AI-Linked Nuclear Power Plants in Argentina | Firstpost America Argentinian President Javier Milei announced the Argentine Nuclear ...

Westinghouse's Microreactor Milestone: a New Era in Nuclear Power? | Watch - MSN

MSN

Westinghouse achieves a crucial milestone in microreactor development, paving the way for compact nuclear power. The eVinci microreactor promises ...\

Nuclear Power Emergencies

NEWS

Russian Region Declares Emergency After Black Sea Oil Tanker Collision | OilPrice.com

Oil Price

Fusion Energy Breakthrough: Virginia to Host Landmark Power Plant · Will ... Nuclear Reactors Are Gaining Traction Around the Globe. EXXON Mobil ...

Czech company secretly supplied critical equipment for Ukrainian nuclear power plant - 112

112

Accidents and Emergencies · Czech company secretly supplied critical ... power transmission lines connecting the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to the ..

Nuclear War

NEWS

Opinion | Nuclear Weapons Are Not a Fact of Life - The New York Times

The New York Times

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the growing risk of nuclear war today. Russia is making regular nuclear threats. America is undertaking a ...

Russia's Unusual Nuclear Warning On Christmas; 'Don't Want Americans In Bunkers, But' | Watch

YouTube

In an interview, Lavrov cautioned that a nuclear war would have catastrophic consequences, stating, "We are prepared to do everything to ensure ...

Biden condemns Russia's 'outrageous' Christmas attack on Ukraine - Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera

Earlier this month, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, chief of Russia's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops, was killed by ...

Nuclear War Threats

NEWS

Opinion | Nuclear Weapons Are Not a Fact of Life - The New York Times

The New York Times

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the growing risk of nuclear war today. Russia is making regular nuclear threats. America is undertaking a ...

The Erosion of Nuclear Deterrence - Future Center -

Future Center -

The threat of nuclear violence should be used with extreme caution due to its serious, existential nature. Only when all other tools and threats have ...

How Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are pushing WW3 - MSN

MSN

... threat of all-out nuclear war has become even more prominent. China 's ... threats and displaying shows of strength regarding their nuclear capabilities

Yellowstone Caldera

NEWS

YVO explores what Yellowstone looked like before volcanoes - Buckrail

Buckrail

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — In the Monday, Dec. 23, edition of Yellowstone Volcano Observatory's (YVO) Caldera Chronicles, Scientist in Charge ...

What will happen if Yellowstone's supervolcano erupts? - MSN

MSN

'And it would cause problems with water, agriculture and electrical grids.' Although the Yellowstone caldera's initial blast would kill thousands in a ...

The Top 10 most read stories in the Daily Montanan for 2024 - Yahoo

Yahoo

Managers aren't alarmed. 8. Yellowstone Volcano Observatory releases preliminary report on Biscuit Basin explosion. Yellowstone Volcano Observatory ...