Moscow said its military launched a “massive strike” against Ukraine overnight, including a nuclear-capable missile, calling the attack retaliation for an unverified claim of a Ukrainian assault on a residence belonging to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Oreshnik ballistic missile struck the Lviv region, near the eastern border of the EU and NATO, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote in a post on X, saying the strike represents “a grave threat to the security on the European continent.” The strike marks only the second known combat use of the hypersonic Oreshnik missile, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons, following its first firing against the Ukrainian region of Dnipro in November 2024. The strike on the Lviv region was part of a wider Russian barrage across Ukraine. Russia’s defense ministry said the assault was retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian attack on Putin’s residence on Dec. 29 — a claim that Kyiv has denied. “It is absurd that Russia attempts to justify this strike with a fake ‘Putin residence attack’ that never happened,” Ukraine’s Sybiha said on X. “This is further proof that Moscow does not need real reasons for its terror and war.” Ukraine’s Western Air Command said in a Facebook post that the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was traveling at approximately 13,000 kilometers per hour, with social media reports indicating the strike occurred only minutes after air-raid sirens sounded. The Lviv regional military administration said specialists conducted on-site tests and laboratory analyses following the strike. “The radiation background is within normal limits,” they said, adding that no harmful substances were detected in the air. Sybiha announced that Ukraine will be calling for an urgent United Nations Security Council meeting in response to the strike. “Such a launch near the borders of the EU and NATO is a serious threat to security on the European continent and a test for the transatlantic community,” Sybiha wrote. “We demand a decisive response to Russia’s reckless actions.”

A large part of Airbus’s global fleet was grounded after the European airplane maker discovered a technical malfunction linked to solar radiation in its A320 family of aircraft. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency announced on Friday evening that it was temporarily pausing flights on certain Airbus planes after a JetBlue flight from Florida to Mexico had to make an emergency landing after a sudden loss of altitude. Media reports indicate that some 15 people were hospitalized after the incident. Airbus said in a statement late Friday that it had identified an issue with its workhorse A320 planes. “Intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls,” it said, adding that it had “identified a significant number” of affected aircraft. A number of airlines around Europe announced that they were affected, including Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian Airlines. Brussels Airlines said that none of its flights was impacted. Sara Ricci, communications chief for Airbus’s commercial aircraft division, said that some 6,000 aircraft were affected, but that for 85 percent of the impacted aircraft, it would be a “quick fix” to the planes’ software. “The vast majority will be back in the sky very soon,” Ricci said.

LONDON — The British government said it opposes attempts to cool the planet by spraying millions of tons of dust into the atmosphere — but did not close the door to a debate on regulating the technology.  The comments in parliament Thursday came after a POLITICO investigation revealed an Israeli-U.S. company Stardust Solutions aimed to be capable of deploying solar radiation modification, as the technology is called, inside this decade. “We’re not in favor of solar radiation modification given the uncertainty around the potential risks it poses to the climate and environment,” Leader of the House of Commons Alan Campbell said on behalf of the government. Stardust has recently raised $60 million in finance from venture capital investors, mostly based in Silicon Valley and Britain. It is the largest ever investment in the field.  The emergence of a well-funded, private sector actor moving aggressively toward planet cooling capability has led to calls for the global community to regulate the field.  Citing POLITICO’s reporting, Labour MP Sarah Coombes asked the government: “Given the potential risks of this technology, could we have a debate on how Britain will work with other countries to regulate experiments with the earth’s atmosphere, and ensure we cooperate with other countries on solutions that actually tackle the root cause of climate change?” Campbell signaled the government was open to further discussion of the issue by inviting Coombes to raise the point the next time Technology Secretary Liz Kendall took questions in parliament.  Stardust’s CEO Yanai Yedvab told POLITICO the company was also in favor of regulation to ensure the technology was deployed safely and after proper public debate. Some scientists and experts, though, have raised concerns about the level of secrecy under which the company has conducted its research.  Stardust is proposing to use high-flying aircraft to dump millions of tons of a proprietary particle into the stratosphere, around 12 miles above the Earth’s surface. The technology mimics the short term global cooling that occurs when volcanoes blow dust and gas high into the sky, blocking a small amount of the sun’s heat.  Most scientists agree this could temporarily lower the Earth’s surface temperature, helping to avert some impacts of global warming. The side effects, however, are not well researched.  The U.K. has one of the world’s best funded research programs looking at the impacts of its potential use, via its Advanced Research and Invention Agency.  “We do work closely with the international research community to evaluate the latest scientific evidence,” said Campbell.   POLITICO has meanwhile been blocked from receiving internal government advice on solar radiation modification. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has refused to release the documents, arguing this would have a “chilling effect” on the candor of advice by officials to ministers.  In a response to a records request, DESNZ Director of International Climate Matt Toombs said: “Our priority is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from human activities and to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Any research into cooling technologies in no way alleviates the urgent need for increased decarbonization efforts.” Stardust boss Yedvab said: “We are very happy to see policymakers engaging with this issue and making it clear that robust regulations are needed. “Stardust will deploy its technology only within an adequate regulatory framework established by governments. “Starting early next year we’ll disclose in peer-reviewed scientific publications all the details of our solution, including the evidence substantiating the safety of our particles, for the review of the scientific community.”

Repairs are underway at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after “local ceasefire zones” were established in the area, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said on Saturday. “Restoration of off-site power is crucial for nuclear safety and security. Both sides engaged constructively with the [International Atomic Energy Agency] to enable complex repair plan to proceed,” the IAEA wrote in a post on X. The Russian-occupied facility in southeastern Ukraine has been cut off from the national grid for four weeks — its longest blackout since the Russia’s invasion in February 2022. The plant has been using on diesel generators since its last power line went down last month. Without reliable power, Europe’s largest nuclear plant risks losing the cooling needed to keep its reactors stable. “The situation is critical,” warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in late September. “The generators and the plant were not designed for this, and have never operated in this mode for so long. And we already have information that one generator has failed,” he said. Ukraine’s Energy Ministry reportedly confirmed that specialists were proceeding on the latest round of repair works of the power lines. “The only reason for the unprecedented risks and threat of a radiation incident in Europe is Russian military aggression, the occupation of the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhya NPP and the systematic shelling of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,” it said in a Telegram post.

Ukraine marked its 34th Independence Day on Sunday amid tit-for-tat drone strikes, with Moscow targeting cities across Ukraine and Kyiv hitting a Russian nuclear power plant and a major port. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched more than 70 Shahed drones and a missile overnight, mostly from bases in Kursk, Millerovo and Primorsko-Akhtarsk. Air defenses downed 48 of them, but others hit targets in at least 10 regions, setting off fires and injuring civilians. A rocket attack in the city of Pavlohrad caused a large blaze, while local officials reported nine injuries and one death in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Kyiv responded with a barrage of long-range drones that struck inside Russia. Authorities in the Kursk region said one strike damaged a transformer at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, cutting output at one reactor by half and sparking a fire that was later extinguished. Radiation levels remained normal, the plant operator said. The International Atomic Energy Agency urged restraint after the Kursk strike, warning of the risks of combat near nuclear facilities. In Russia’s Leningrad region, debris from intercepted drones ignited a fire at the Novatek fuel terminal in the port of Ust-Luga, one of the country’s largest export hubs. Flights were briefly suspended at airports in St. Petersburg, Samara and Izhevsk after additional drones were shot down. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed Ukrainians from Kyiv’s Independence Square, tying the attacks to the broader struggle for sovereignty. “We are building a Ukraine that will have enough strength and power to live in security and peace,” he said in a video message. “Ukraine has won its independence. Ukraine is not a victim, it is a fighter.” In the south, Ukraine’s military said troops unfurled national flags over occupied towns in the Kherson region, a gesture meant to signal that “the Kherson region will forever remain part of Ukraine.” Western allies also used the occasion to signal support. The U.K. and Sweden raised Ukrainian flags on government buildings, while Norway and Germany announced the joint delivery of two Patriot air defense systems with missiles, radars and short-range batteries worth about €650 million. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Ukrainians were “most courageously defending themselves against Russia’s attacks. They are fighting for our liberal order in Europe, and for a just peace.”

Welcome to Declassified, a weekly humor column. Sure, Donald Trump has massive bunker-busting bombs capable of obliterating all in their wake — but Europe’s leaders have their own killer weapons: concerned posts on X! It’s been a stellar week for impotent pleas on social media, as Israel and Iran exchanged fire, the United States went studs-up with its big old bombs — and European politicians leaped to their keyboards to call for de-escalation on a social media platform Trump’s not even using. “With tensions in the Middle East at a new peak, stability must be the priority,” thundered Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, just as Trump made a loud “KA-BLAMO!” noise in the White House situation room. “The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority,” droned Keir Starmer, as he checked to see if his WhatsApp notifications from the U.S. prez had somehow been muted. “Engaging in dialogue and securing a clear commitment from Iran to renounce nuclear weapons are essential to avoid the worst for the entire region,” Emmanuel Macron offered up, while donning a radiation suit and popping into the bunker, just to be on the safe side. EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas went further still, offering up words that will have no doubt sent shivers down spines in Tehran, Jerusalem and Washington. “EU Foreign Ministers will discuss the situation tomorrow,” she warned. At least they’re all keeping busy. We chuckle, but maybe it is having an impact. The Don seemed to take all this posting-things-into-existence to heart. Over on Truth Social — like X but featuring just one self-obsessed diva rather than multiple millions — Trump was begging our old friend the global oil price to stop being so very naughty. “EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN, I’M WATCHING! YOU’RE PLAYING INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY, DON’T DO IT,” he Truthed. OIL PRICES did not immediately respond to a request for comment — but you can bet they were listening.

Iran said on Sunday that U.S. airstrikes overnight against three key Iranian nuclear facilities will have “everlasting consequences” as Tehran asserted its right of self-defense against what it called a “grave violation” of international law. The U.S. bombing of Iran’s Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites was “extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X early Sunday. “The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences,” he said. U.S. President Donald Trump said late Saturday that the American bombing of the major nuclear sites was a “very successful attack” and threatened additional assalts if Tehran does not make peace. The targeted Fordo enrichment plant was described by Trump as “completely and totally obliterated.” The American aistrikes were welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who lauded Trump’s “bold decision” as a move that “will change history.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, meanwhile, called for deescalation and urged Iran to return to diplomatic negotiations to address the “grave threat” of its nuclear program. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported no increase in off-site radiation levels following the strikes.

An Iranian missile hit a major hospital in the south of Israel on Thursday, sparking a pledge from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “exact the full price” from Tehran in response. The hospital strike threatens to ratchet up hostilities after a week that has seen Israel kill top Iranian regime officials and pummel atomic sites while Tehran responds with volleys of ballistic missiles. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in response: “The Prime Minister and I have instructed the IDF to increase the intensity of attacks against strategic targets in Iran and against government targets in Tehran in order to remove threats to the State of Israel and undermine the ayatollah’s regime,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces. With the Middle East teetering on the brink of another devastating war, U.S. President Donald Trump is seriously considering joining the Israeli attack on Iran. The American military possesses the firepower Israel would need to target a vital underground nuclear facility. Thursday morning, patients and staff hid in shelters at the Soroka Medical Center in southern Israel where the Iranian strike caused significant damage, according to The Times of Israel. “We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran,” Netanyahu vowed Thursday morning in response to the Iranian strikes.  Meanwhile, Israel hit Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor on Thursday morning, according to Iranian state TV. Heavy water used in Arak helps cool nuclear reactors but also produces plutonium as a byproduct, which could be used to produce nuclear weapons. Under the now-scrapped 2015 nuclear deal, Iran agreed to redesign the facility to relieve proliferation concerns. According to Iranian state media, there was “no radiation danger whatsoever,” and the facility had been evacuated prior to the strike. Earlier on Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces posted a warning on social media, urging residents to evacuate Arak city.  Iran launched around 30 ballistic missiles at Israel Thursday morning, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Other rockets hit apartments in central Israel, seriously wounding three people. European politicians have called for restraint from both countries; however, their diplomatic efforts have so far yielded few results.

Global stockpiles of nuclear weapons are increasing and reversing decades of nuclear disarmament, a top conflict think tank reported Monday. For years, an annual decrease in the global inventory of nuclear weapons combined with the disarmament of retired warheads by the U.S. and Russia has outstripped the number of new warheads. But a report released Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) found this trend will be reversed in the coming years as dismantlement slows while the deployment of new nuclear weapons increases. “The era of reductions in the number of nuclear weapons in the world, which had lasted since the end of the Cold War, is coming to an end,” said Hans M. Kristensen, associate senior fellow with SIPRI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction program. “Instead, we see a clear trend of growing nuclear arsenals, sharpened nuclear rhetoric and the abandonment of arms control agreements,” he added. Out of the nine nuclear-armed states — the U.S., U.K., Russia, France, China, Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea — all are upgrading existing weapons and adding new versions to their stockpiles. According to SIPRI’s 2025 yearbook, an estimated 12,241 nuclear warheads existed worldwide as of January. Of those, approximately 9,614 are held in military stockpiles ready for potential use, with more than 2,100 kept on high alert — primarily by the United States and Russia. China is leading the pack, with its nuclear arsenal having grown by 20 percent in just one year to an estimated 600 warheads. Projections indicate it could rival U.S. and Russian stockpiles by 2030. Meanwhile, India, Pakistan and Israel are also actively expanding or modernizing their nuclear capabilities. The study’s findings come amid escalating attacks between Iran and Israel and just a few weeks after stalled peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Israel’s recent targets in Iran included military sites and prominent nuclear scientists. On the early 2025 tensions between India and Pakistan, Matt Korda, associate senior researcher at SIPRI, said that strikes on nuclear-related military infrastructure risked turning a conventional conflict into a nuclear crisis. “This should act as a stark warning for states seeking to increase their reliance on nuclear weapons.” Reflecting concerns over the confrontation between Israel and Iran in the Middle East, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday it was monitoring the situation “very carefully” and confirmed that radiation levels remain stable following recent bombings of the Iranian uranium enrichment plant in Natanz. “The IAEA is ready to respond to any nuclear or radiological emergency within an hour,” said IAEA Director Rafael Mariano Grossi. “For the second time in three years, we are witnessing a dramatic conflict between two member states, in which nuclear facilities are under fire and their safety compromised.”

KYIV — A Russian attack drone struck the massive sarcophagus protecting the destroyed Chernobyl nuclear reactor, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement Friday.  The 108-meter-high arched steel structure covered the reactor in 2016 to halt nuclear contamination from the 1986 nuclear meltdown near Pripyat in Northern Ukraine, which caused a deadly environmental catastrophe across the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. It replaced an older shelter Ukraine constructed in the 1990s. “The fire has been extinguished. Radiation levels have not increased and are being constantly monitored. The damage to the shelter is significant,” Zelenskyy said after the strike. The New Safe Confinement (NSC), as the shelter is officially known, is a mammoth structure that can withstand a tornado. It was completed to cover the fourth nuclear reactor in Chernobyl in 2016. Russia fired a volley of 133 drones overnight, even as preparations begin for potential peace talks on the Ukraine war between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that at around 2 a.m. Friday its team at the Chernobyl site heard an explosion coming from the huge steel cover, which protects the remains of the nuclear reactor, as a drone had struck the roof. “Fire safety personnel and vehicles responded within minutes. At this moment, there is no indication of a breach in the NSC’s inner containment. Radiation levels inside and outside remain normal and stable. No casualties were reported. IAEA continues monitoring the situation,” the agency said in a post on X. In a video posted by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, a hole can be seen in the roof where, as Zelenskyy put it, a Russian drone with a high-explosive warhead struck. “This shelter was built by Ukraine, Europe, the world, and America — all those committed to real security for humanity. The only country that attacks such sites, occupies nuclear power plants, and wages war without any regard for the consequences is today’s Russia,” Zelenskyy said.