Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 18h

Our recommended reads & podcasts this week here at #STAND @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social to deep-dive into nuclear policy and space - insightful, sobering, and (maybe) best enjoyed with something stronger than coffee this Friday ☕➡️🥃. Well, or on a far-away beach 🏖️🤓.

Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 19h

New START, US Energy Department, SpaceX, Russia’s deterrence, Saudi-Pakistani defense pact, sanctions & proliferation & podcasts in this week’s STAND newsletter, a project by @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social, on recent news & analyses to better #underSTAND #nuclear #space #deterrence & #threats 1/10

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 18h

Two podcast recommendations: At "Better Know a Nuke" #IISS @bollfrass.bsky.social, SWP's Azadeh Zamirirad & @nicolegrajewski.bsky.social discuss Iran's program t.ly/A2e6k, while at "Strategic Simplicity" @pranayrvaddi.bsky.social brings experts to talk nukes policy - nonpro here t.ly/LnC5c 10/10

"Preventing an Era of Nuclear Anarchy: Nuclear Proliferation and American Security"

Toby Dalton, Francesca Giovannini, and Eric Brewer join the pod to discuss the new report by the Task Force on Nuclear Proliferation and U.S. National Security.

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 18h

Comprehensive sanctions create a siege mentality that worsens efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation, while targeted sanctions avoid harm to entire populations & offer credible off-ramps & de-escalation pathways to better support non-proliferation, argues Sergey Shkolnikov @thebulletin.org 9/10

How to design nuclear sanctions that don’t backfire

International sanctions can have a paradoxical effect, spurring some nations to push harder to obtain nuclear weapons. Here’s how sanctions can be more effective.

thebulletin.org

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 18h

Two podcast recommendations: At "Better Know a Nuke" #IISS @bollfrass.bsky.social, Azadeh Zamirirad & @nicolegrajewski.bsky.social discuss Iran’s nuclear program t.ly/A2e6k, while at "Strategic Simplicity" @pranayrvaddi.bsky.social brings experts to talk about nuclear policy t.ly/LnC5c 10/10

Spotify – Web Player

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 18h

Based on public information, the Saudi-Pakistani defense pact allows collective action with Pakistan’s capabilities but falls short of NATO-style security & does not offer extended nuclear deterrence, analyze @diyaashtakala.bsky.social, @doreenhorschig.bsky.social & Bailey Schiff @poni.csis.org 8/10

Could the Pakistani-Saudi Defense Pact Be the First Step Toward a NATO-Style Alliance?

The pact reshaped regional dynamics by deepening Pakistani-Saudi ties, straining India’s balancing act, and raising questions about Israel’s air access. Despite its NATO-style language, it lacks the n...

www.csis.org

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 18h

Since the Soviet collapse, the Russian elite has embraced the notion of deterrence, culminating in broader strategic deterrence, but the war in Ukraine exposed key weaknesses in Russia's deterrence concept, prompting an overhaul, analyzes @dimitrialgretminic.bsky.social @ifri.bsky.social 7/10

Russia's Nuclear Deterrence Put to the Test by the War in Ukraine | Ifri

From the outset of its “special military operation” (SVO) against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russia, which possesses one of the world’s largest nuclear arsenals, has adopted aggressive deterrence measures and a resolutely menacing rhetorical stance.

www.ifri.org

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 18h

Europeans should welcome Putin’s New START extension offer and play an active role in shaping a future arms control deal—one that reflects Europe’s interests by resuming data exchange, addressing short- & intermediate-range missiles, argues @olivermeier.bsky.social @theeln.bsky.social 6/10

Europe and the end of New START

In light of Putin's recent offer of a voluntary, time-limited extension of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) obligations to the US, ELN Policy and Research Director Oliver Meier writ...

europeanleadershipnetwork.org

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 18h

Putin’s extension offer comes at a critical time for a Russia facing overstretched resources & nuclear modernization challenges - but the US should weigh this offer carefully, considering past Russian arms control behavior & China’s efforts, argues @pranayrvaddi.bsky.social @rusi.bsky.social 5/10

Beware Russia Bearing Arms Control Gifts

Washington should maintain a critical eye when measuring Putin’s latest arms control offer.

www.rusi.org

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 18h

UK Space Command said Russia is targeting British military communications satellites on a weekly basis with earth-based jammers - this comes after Germany's defense minister said Russian satellites are shadowing Bundeswehr communications satellites, reports @bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social 4/10

Russia targets UK military satellites on weekly basis

Moscow is attempting to collect information from UK spacecraft, according to the MoD.

www.bbc.com

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 19h

The government shutdown puts the US Department of Energy—which oversees the US nuclear arsenal and international non-proliferation—at risk, potentially forcing it (once again this year) to cut workers already in a week, reports @politico.com 3/10

Money to oversee nuclear weapons safety will start running low after 8 days, Energy secretary says

The National Nuclear Security Administration will need to ramp back its work, which ranges from maintaining the weapons arsenal to international non-proliferation efforts.

www.politico.com

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 19h

Trump endorsed Putin’s proposal to cap nuclear arms limits post New START, but Putin signaled that supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine might strain Russia-US relations, reports @reuters.com t.ly/yFJaK, yet Moscow concomitantly welcomed the US interest in limits, reports @nytimes.com t.ly/_SwSN 2/10

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 19h

New START, US Energy Department, SpaceX, Russia’s deterrence, Saudi-Pakistani defense pact, sanctions & proliferation & podcasts in this week’s STAND newsletter, a project by @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social, on recent news & analyses to better #underSTAND #nuclear #space #deterrence & #threats 1/10

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

For everyone not celebrating German Unity Day with a suspiciously large beer stein today – here’s your alternative buzz: fresh nuclear & space analysis from us at @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social #STAND 🍻🚀☢️. And hey, they probably go surprisingly well after one or two of those steins too 😄🤓.

Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

SATCOM & Bundeswehr, Russia’s upgraded missiles, Iran's nuclear program, DPRK & South Korea, AI & tech race & more in this week’s STAND newsletter, a project by @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social, on recent news & analyses to better #underSTAND #nuclear #space #deterrence & #threats 1/10

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

The US State Department’s Office of the Historian released a new volume of 1989–1991 historical documents on the START I treaty, edited by @jamesgrahamwilson.bsky.social. Nuclear buffs, geeks & nerds, we know what you’ll do this weekend! 10/10

Historical Documents - Office of the Historian

history.state.gov 3.0 shell

history.state.gov

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

A @tnsr.org roundtable chaired by @laurensukin.bsky.social & @rohanmukherjee.bsky.social features 7 essays on shifting nuclear security in Europe, Latin America, Middle East, South Asia, China & Korea - how US-China rivalry & domestic politics reshape deterrence, alliances & proliferation 9/10

Navigating the New Nuclear Map - Texas National Security Review

The global nuclear order is undergoing rapid and complex transformations, driven by the expansion of arsenals, evolving doctrines, and the interplay of domestic and international politics. This roundt...

tnsr.org

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

AI could fuel a tech arms race between proliferation-enabling & detection-enhancing tools - favoring the former & straining conventional monitoring & verification methods, which poses risks to nonproliferation, analyze @herzogsm.bsky.social & David Allison @socriskanalysis.bsky.social 8/10

Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Weapons Proliferation: The Technological Arms Race for (In)visibility

A robust nonproliferation regime has contained the spread of nuclear weapons to just nine states. Yet, emerging and disruptive technologies are reshaping the landscape of nuclear risks, presenting a ....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

Before engaging with Pyongyang, the US should consider DPRK’s past focus on allied diplomacy, argues Choong-Koo Lee @warontherocks.bsky.social t.ly/xPdyG, while Chang-young Lee suggests South Korea decreases its dependency on the US by expanding its ISR capabilities t.ly/eJ5eh 7/10

Negotiating with North Korea in the Shadow of Great Power Rivalry

The United States and South Korea have converged on the idea of dialogue with North Korea. But can it work? Will it? U.S. President Donald Trump has

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

The Trump administration should seize Putin’s offer to cap nukes, push for on-site inspections & data exchanges & use the time to explore ways with Russia & China to cut nuclear risks - from political commitments to executive agreements, argues @matthew-bunn.bsky.social @thebulletin.org 6/10

Putin just gave Trump the opportunity to maintain nuclear restraint. Will he seize it?

Extending New START will also give time for Trump to work with Russia and China on future arms control accords.

thebulletin.org

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

Satellite images show renewed construction at a buried military site near Iran’s Natanz - the purpose remains unclear according to experts, reports @washingtonpost.com t.ly/wIRWX, while Iran & Russia struck a deal to build 4 nuclear power plants, reports @aljazeera.com t.ly/vlQVd4/10 5/10

After U.S. strikes, Iran increases work at mysterious underground site

Satellite imagery indicates Iran is increasing construction at a deeply buried site in Pickaxe Mountain, just south of the Natanz nuclear facility hit by Israeli and U.S. strikes in June.

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

After Tehran’s failure to meet the demands of the E3 (Germany, UK & France), the UNSC reimposed sanctions addressing threats posed by Iran’s nuclear, ballistic missile, conventional arms, and other destabilizing activities, reports @financialtimes.com 4/10

Iran hit with reimposition of sanctions over its nuclear programme

Tehran says other nations should ‘refuse to recognise this illegal act’

www.ft.com

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

Plummeting ballistic missile interception rates & DIA’s report earlier this summer suggest Russia upgraded Iskander-M mobile systems & Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles to evade Patriot systems by tweaking software for a steeper terminal trajectory, reports @financialtimes.com 3/10

Russian missile upgrade outpaces Ukraine’s Patriot defences

Kyiv’s interception rates fall as enemy strikes dodge US interceptors in final seconds

www.ft.com

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

Arianespace signed a contract with Airbus Defence and Space to launch two Airbus-built SATCOMBw Stage 3 satellites, a system for secure military communication for the German Bundeswehr, reports @hartpunkt.bsky.social 2/10

SATCOMBw: Arianespace mit Satellitenstart beauftragt

Der europäische Anbieter von Trägerraketenstarts, Arianespace, hat in der vergangenen Woche einen Vertrag mit Airbus Defence and Space zum Start von zwei

www.hartpunkt.de

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Liviu Horovitz @liviuhorovitz.bsky.social · 7d

SATCOM & Bundeswehr, Russia’s upgraded missiles, Iran's nuclear program, DPRK & South Korea, AI & tech race & more in this week’s STAND newsletter, a project by @swp-intsecurity.bsky.social, on recent news & analyses to better #underSTAND #nuclear #space #deterrence & #threats 1/10

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Reposted by Liviu Horovitz

Texas National Security Review @tnsr.org · 10d

How are alliances like AUKUS and cooperation between Russia, China, and North Korea reshaping the nuclear order? @laurensukin.bsky.social and @rohanmukherjee.bsky.social introduce the essays and explore the effects of domestic politics and global competition.

📖 Read here: tnsr.org/roundtable/n...

"The Evolving Global Landscape of Nuclear Security" by Lauren Sukin and Rohan Mukherjee

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Reposted by Liviu Horovitz

James Cameron @jjjcameron.bsky.social · 10d

Foreign Relations of the United States, 1989–1992, Volume XXXI, START I, 1989–1991 is out today!

Huge congratulations to @jamesgrahamwilson.bsky.social and the rest of the team at the State Department's Office of the Historian. history.state.gov/historicaldo...

Foreign Relations of the United States, 1989-1992, Volume XXXI, START I, 1989-1991

Editor: James Graham Wilson

General Editor: Kathleen B. Rasmussen

Department of State
Washington
2025

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