Plutonium shortage may slow innovative nuclear projects worldwide — FT

Plutonium shortage may slow innovative nuclear projects worldwide — FT According to an estimate by a French nuclear official, building a large spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant requires around 40 bln euros in investment and 10 years of constructionLONDON, September 1. /TASS/. A shortage of plutonium could slow the implementation of next-generation nuclear energy projects worldwide, the Financial Times (FT) reported. According to the newspaper, a shortage of plutonium, an artificial element made as a byproduct of nuclear reactor operations, is creating serious challenges for startups developing innovative reactors. A number of new projects require plutonium to produce mixed oxide (MOX) fuel, but supplies are limited due to a shortage of reprocessing capacity. According to an estimate by a French nuclear official, building a large spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant requires around 40 bln euros in investment and 10 years of construction. France is currently upgrading its reprocessing plant at La Hague, one of the few such facilities in the world outside Russia. The plant reprocessed 1,200 metric tons of spent fuel last year. In the United Kingdom, which holds the largest stockpile of plutonium outside Russia, the government decided last year not to use it to produce mixed oxide fuel and instead dispose of it at the Sellafield site, prompting French-Italian startup Newcleo to abandon its operations in the country. Analysts noted that existing global stockpiles of separated plutonium total 571 metric tons, but most of this material comes from weapons programs and is unavailable to energy companies. According to experts, while only around 10% of small reactor projects under development worldwide require plutonium to produce mixed oxide fuel, these projects are among the most innovative and ambitious. The rest can use conventional uranium fuel or high-assay low-enriched uranium, which is predominantly produced by Russia. Ukraine crisisFyodorov’s statement on Patriot testifies to Kiev’s serious defense problems — expertAccording to Andrey Marochko, the statement in the Financial Times interview is quite controversial, as it is self-contradictoryRead moreRussia struck energy, transport infrastructure used in Ukrainian army’s interestsRussian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 766 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and seven smart bombs over the past 24 hours, the Defense Ministry reportedRead moreGoing visa-free with China, Ukraine peace: Putin meets with China, India leadersThe Russian leader stressed that Moscow was making efforts to end the Ukrainian conflictRead moreChina successfully conducts first launch of Pallas-1 carrier rocketThe rocket’s flight proceeded normallyRead moreUkrainian army carries out 24 attacks on DPR in past day, injures civilianThe attacks damaged five residential buildings, along with several trucks and special-purpose vehicles, as well as seven civilian infrastructure facilitiesRead morePutin arrives at Bishkek's Yrys Ordo Congress Hall for SCO summitThe Russian president was welcomed by Kyrgyzstan’s leader Sadyr JaparovRead morePutin to take part in SCO summit, hold bilateral meetingsThe SCO summit will officially begin on the morning of September 1Read moreDeath toll from Nepal’s landslide rises to 974 — TVChina Central Television did not provide information on the number of injuredRead moreRussian billionaires’ wealth falls by $19.77 bln since start of 2026 — BloombergAccording to the news agency's estimate, Mikhail Prokhorov recorded the largest decline in wealth among Russian index participants, losing $6.45 bln to $10.1 blnRead moreMusk not letting Kiev use Starlink against Russia without White House’s consent — FTAccording to the newspaper, the businessman explicitly stated his position in a conversation with former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail FyodorovRead moreSerbia thankful to Russia for helping fight wildfiresAccording to the Emergencies Ministry, its Il-76 aircraft was operating in Serbia’s Kolubara District on MondayRead moreUS ‘big enough’ to handle threats globally, vice president saysJD Vance commented on reports of weapons shortages affecting the US ability to respond to threatsRead morePoland scrambles fighter jets to escort Russia’s Il-20 aircraft over Baltic SeaDefense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized that Polish airspace was not violatedRead moreTrump says wants to get on with everyone when talking about inviting Russia to G20 eventsThe US president added that "getting along with everybody" is "one of the reasons that I'm so successful"Read morePutin’s talk with Pashinyan to be pragmatic, respectful — KremlinThe Armenian prime minister now has different views on the possible future configurations for his country, but cooperation with Moscow brings great benefits to the Armenians, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov saidRead moreRussian Aerospace Forces destroy up to platoon of Ukrainian troops in Kherson RegionThe Russian Aerospace Forces struck the enemy with FAB-1500 and FAB-500 bombsRead moreShanghai Cooperation Organization summit kicks off in Kyrgyzstan's capitalKyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has already greeted Russian President Vladimir PutinRead moreSCO has become independent center of emerging multipolar world — PutinThe Russian president emphasized that today, the SCO is effectively the largest regional association not only on the Eurasian continent but globallyRead moreTrump claims about 30 ships pass through Strait of Hormuz every night with US assistanceThe US president noted that "a lot of oil is coming out," and the price has not increased as some forecasts had predictedRead moreRussia, Uzbek presidents discuss bilateral relations, joint projectsThe leaders also hailed the 12% growth in bilateral trade this year Read moreKiev finds it increasingly difficult to protect its energy, military facilities — governorKherson Region Governor Vladimir Saldo sees Mikhail Fyodorov’s proposal to the Americans as a piece of creative bargaining to get new weapons deliveries and investmentsRead moreEU preparations for State Duma election provocations, plans to null results — SVRAccording to the intelligence service, the West has mobilized "all the ‘weapons’ from the arsenal of anti-Russian aggression" to destabilize the country ahead of the electionsRead moreCooperation between Russia and India constantly reaches new frontiers — ModiThe Indian prime minister stressed that moving forward together had been the shared visionRead moreOver 6,000 Ebola cases recorded in Democratic Republic of CongoThe death toll from Ebola during the current outbreak stands at 2,911Read moreKalashnikov to unveil model of its latest AK-12+ assault rifle at Eastern Economic ForumThe weapon will be on display in the Voin Center pavilion at the Far East Street exhibitionRead moreRussia’s stance unchanged on Moscow’s readiness to receive Zelensky — KremlinPresident Vladimir Putin said that if Vladimir Zelensky wants negotiations, he can come to Moscow, Dmitry Peskov recalledRead moreOver 200 prominent Israelis urge PM to end West Bank violence — newspaperThe New York Times reported that the letter was signed by two former prime ministers, more than three dozen retired Army and Air Force generals, the former heads of the nation’s foreign and domestic intelligence services, as well as rabbis, a Nobel laureate and one of Israel’s most revered novelistsRead moreRosatom building 16 out of 28 reactors abroad in SCO countries, CEO saysAccording to Alexey Likhachev, units in China, India and other countries are currently in the commissioning phaseRead moreLionel Messi says he's retiring from Argentina's national teamLionel Messi said it was a decision that hurt deep insideRead morePutin urges students to believe in themselves in Knowledge Day messageThe Russian president noted that today’s school and university students "are the ones who will continue our great Motherland’s track record of victories and achievements"Read moreTanker struck by three projectiles in Hormuz Strait — British maritime security authorityAccording to the statement, no casualties or environmental impact has been reportedRead moreHundreds of Ukrainian military warehouses located in residential buildings — diplomatRussian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large for the crimes of the Kiev regime Rodion Miroshnik stated that Kiev uses Ukrainians as human shieldsRead moreZelensky boosts peronal security — expert"The paranoid mood of the illegitimate Ukrainian president has intensified ahead of the so-called Ukrainian Independence Day and continues to this day," Andrey MarochkoRead moreAmbassador to Belgrade doubts The Hague court to release details of Mladic’s deathAleksandar Vranes noted that there were no justice for Serbs in The HagueRead moreChina ready to deepen energy cooperation with Russia, including Power of Siberia 2 — MFAGuo Jiakun noted that Beijing is "ready to work with Russia to continuously deepen practical bilateral cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit"Read moreEastern Economic Forum begins in Russia’s VladivostokThe forum will be held from September 1 to 4Read moreUS requests public comments on Russia's WTO complianceInterested parties are requested to submit written comments or applications to participate in a public hearing scheduled for October 14, with a deadline of October 1Read moreThe Hague deprived Mladic medication after his family refused euthanasia — ambassadorGeneral Ratko Mladic died in a UN prison in The Hague on August 27Read moreTrump rules out use of nuclear weapons against IranThe US president explained that "there's no reason for it"Read moreUkraine unable to intercept new models of Russia’s Geran drones — newspaperAccording to an article in The Guardian, the new-model drones have a cruising speed of about 400 kilometers per hour, roughly twice that of the piston-engine versionRead moreIRGC say they downed MQ-9 drone over Strait of HormuzThe drone was taken down in the eastern part of the Strait of HormuzRead moreMutual benefit shapes Russia-Kyrgyzstan cooperation — PeskovDmitry Peskov noted that it is beneficial for Kyrgyzstan to be a member of the Eurasian Economic UnionRead moreMilitary from local special forces units took part in mutiny in Niger — Russian diplomatThe uprising was suppressed by the authorities with the assistance from the Russian defense ministry’s Africa CorpsRead morePutin describes relations with Kazakhstan as ‘two-way street’The Russian president noted that trade between the two countries had grown in 2026Read moreKremlin urges people to ignore ‘fake news’ in Western media, to focus on front realitiesThe fact is that nowadays, both less reputable publications and more reputable publications, as well as publications that were once reputable, do not shy away from any kind of fake news, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Read moreNATO turns Arctic into zone of military confrontation — Russian diplomatRussia sees provocative actions posed by the flights of strategic bombers, Alexander Grushko saidRead moreWorld thirsts for peace, growth — XiThe Chinese leader noted that the world was undergoing unprecedented rapid changes, not seen in a centuryRead moreRussia welcomes any country’s efforts to help bring peace to Ukraine — KremlinDmitry Peskov added that so far the Kiev regime has been unwilling to be influenced by any mediatorsRead moreSCO leaders sign Bishkek Declaration — organizing committeeIn addition to the declaration, 27 other documents were signed, including the regulations on the Universal Center for Countering Challenges and Threats to the Security of SCO Member StatesRead moreSber expects 2026 profit significantly higher than last year’sAccording to Taras Skvortsov, the growth rate could be slightly below 20%Read moreKiev military steps up attacks on Russian civilian targets — Russian diplomatRodion Miroshnik said the number of enemy strikes on civilian targets increased to nearly 1,200 per day last weekRead moreSCO continues to expand as countries share same ideas — Kremlin spokesmanDmitry Peskov specified that the participants adhere to an approach "based on mutual respect rather than rules imposed by a boss on vassals"Read moreRussia considers NATO risks 'on the water, on the ground, in the air' in military planningRussian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that Moscow was observing the continued expansion of NATO infrastructure northward and was factoring these developments into its defense planningRead moreElections in Russia and readiness to receive Zelensky in Moscow: Kremlin's statementsDmitry Peskov stressed that Moscow is still ready to receive Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky for negotiations on the Ukrainian conflict while Russia’s position on this issue has not changedRead moreRussians top overall medals standings at IFBB World Fitness Sport Games in TurkeyThe Russian national bodybuilding team was represented at the competitions by 16 athletesRead moreTrump says may continue strikes against IranThe US president added that his awareness of serious troubles in Iran "doesn't mean we won't smack them" Read moreKiev’s mobilization plans show Ukraine lies about battlefield losses — mediaThe head of Vladimir Zelensky’s office earlier said that Ukraine needed to recruit at least 30,000 people a month to maintain troop strengthRead moreNew Russia sanctions bill faces opposition in US — PoliticoAccording to the newspaper, its future prospects are unclearRead moreTrump says China ‘relatively inactive’ on Strait of HormuzThe US president added that he has "a very good relationship" with Chinese President Xi JinpingRead moreUS Treasury chief rules out agreements with Russia until Ukraine conflict ends — agencyAccording to a source cited by Reuters, Scott Bessent told Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov that no economic relief for Russia or agreements on other issues were possible until the conflict was overRead moreDefense industry facilities in Kiev, port infrastructure: Russian forces' massive strikeA gas station was damaged in the Obukhov district in the Kiev regionRead morePlan for further regulation of digital platforms approved in RussiaThe government’s subcommittee on the development of digital platforms has approved the roadmap for legislative initiatives for 2026-2027Read moreOPEC+ seven's quota rises by 188,000 bpd in SeptemberThe production quota reached 31.01 mln bpdRead morePolyus' adjusted net profit under IFRS falls 59% to $829 mln in 1H 2026The company's revenue for the reporting period grew by 27% year-on-year to $4.7 billionRead moreMass rollout of digital ruble begins in RussiaAt the first stage, the country's largest banks will offer their clients the ability to conduct transactions using the digital national currency, while all credit institutions will join the system by September 2028Read moreCooperation between Moscow and Beijing develops in all areas — PutinThe Russian president specified that Moscow and Beijing are implementing major projects in the energy sector, industry, space, transport and logisticsRead morePutin hails Modi’s role in strengthening Russian-Indian relationsThe Russian president stated that he was pleased to meet with the Indian prime minister againRead moreCall to prevent conflicts, not using finance as weapon: Putin’s statementsThe Russian leader said that Russia is ready to host the 7th World Nomad Games in Kazan in 2028Read moreRussia moving toward Ukrainian conflict settlement — PutinThe Russian leader also thanked Narendra Modi for sharing his expectations for Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to the BRICS summit in New Delhi in SeptemberRead moreUS seriously considers use of nuclear weapons in Europe — Russian MFAAccording to Andrey Belousov, Washington’s efforts to initiate discussions on Russia’s non-strategic nuclear weapons serve to divert international attention from what he described as the threat posed by US nuclear weapons stationed in EuropeRead moreRussian, US finance chiefs discuss bilateral cooperation — Russian Finance MinistryThe G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting is taking place on August 31 and September 1 in Asheville, USARead moreIran relocates missile production facilities to safer places — IRGCAccording to adviser to the IRGC commander-in-chief Mohammad Reza Naqdi, the production sites are now operating with the use of the most advanced technologies and increased production capacityRead moreMaduro posts photo of him in prisonVenezuelan President addressed it to his grandchildren and childrenRead moreGlobal sports won't 'bend' to 'whims' of individual nations — Russian Olympic chiefMikhail Degtyarev underscored that the major competitions on the IOC calendar would be organized where there were no obstacles for individual participantsRead moreKalashnikov unveils model of new AK-12+ assault rifle at EEFThe rifle uses 5.45 mm ammunitionRead moreRussian air defenses down over 90 Flamingo cruise missiles in summer — TASS estimatesThe largest number of the missiles was shot down in a single day on August 15Read moreIN BRIEF: What is known about detention of two Russians working for Ukraine in CrimeaAccording to the FSB, two Crimean residents were recruited by officers of the Ukrainian army’s special operations force via a popular messengerRead moreTalking about mediation in Iran war still difficult — KremlinDmitry Peskov said the situation unfolding in the Persian Gulf around Iran will be discussed on Tuesday by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud PezeshkianRead morePutin congratulates Kazakh leader on results of parliamentary electionsThe Russian leader noted the high voter turnout which had demonstrated people's support of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's course toward Kazakhstan’s further developmentRead moreUS Army Secretary Driscoll submits resignation — newspaperAccording to the report by The Wall Street Journal, the official is expected to leave the Pentagon in the coming daysRead moreUS considers limited strikes against Iran in Strait of Hormuz region — AxiosAccording to sources cited by the portal, the US goal is to prevent Iran from reconstituting its radar and missile capabilities to attack shipsRead moreUS uses fewer weapons against Iran than provided to Ukraine under Biden — TrumpAccording to the US president, Washington gave Ukraine over $300 billion worth of ammunition during this periodRead moreIraq rejects proposal to keep coalition forces beyond September 30 deadlineGovernment spokesman Haider al-Aboudi said did not specify which country put forward the proposalRead moreUkraine hiding truth about its casualties from public, arms suppliers — Crimea sourcesGeneral mobilization has been in effect in Ukraine since February 2022 and has been extended repeatedlyRead more180 Ukrainian drones taken down over Russian regions during dayThe Ukrainian UAVs were intercepted over 10 Russian regionsRead moreAt least five US military aircraft flying over Persian GulfBoeing KC-135R Stratotankers and Boeing KC-46A Pegasuses "are flying at an altitude of about eight kilometers, including along corridors designated for civil aircraft," a source in the Middle Eastern air traffic control services saysRead moreFACTBOX: Aftermath of Ukrainian drone attack on Russian regions, 516 UAVs neutralizedThe UAV attack damaged facilities in the port area of Ust-Luga in the Leningrad Region, where a fire broke outRead moreHungary backs creation of ‘security corridor’ on NATO’s eastern flank — agencyHungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban emphasized that Hungary would not become a "weak link" in NATO, as it is "firmly committed to the principles of unity and solidarity within the alliance"Read morePress review: EU mulls Russia-linked tanker seizures as US deal opens Venezuela oil accessTop stories from the Russian press on Monday, August 31stRead moreRussian forces liberate 91 communities in special operation zone over summerThe data shows that Battlegroup North liberated the largest number of communitiesRead moreRussia, Kazakhstan never had major problems in relations — TokayevAccording to Kazakh President, if any minor conflicts arose, they were due to "purely economic disputes"Read moreIN BRIEF: Change in effective date of new key rate and economic development scenariosThe regulator will change the effective date of the new key rate from Monday to WednesdayRead moreRosatom plans to expand construction of small-scale, large NPPs in Iran, CEO saysAccording to Alexey Likhachev, a second group of specialists is preparing to return to the Bushehr NPPRead moreZelensky speaks with US envoys over phoneAccording to the head of the Kiev regime, the parties discussed "setting a date for a visit to Ukraine"Read moreSix members of banned organization Jehovah's Witnesses convicted of extremism In MoscowTo date, more than 30 members of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization have been involved in criminal cases in Moscow and the Moscow Region for their participation and involvement in the activities of an extremist organizationRead moreRussia adds over 100 mln carats to diamond reserves since start of yearHead of Rosnedra Oleg Kazanov noted that reserve additions are driven not only by new deposits but by additional geological exploration and the reassessment of existing depositsRead moreSCO countries support reform of international financial architecture — declarationAccording to the Bishkek Declaration, the countries will continue to develop a practical dialogue on strengthening financial cooperation within the framework of the SCO Interbank ConsortiumRead moreRussia's first AI law comes into forceThe law regulates relations involving the development, deployment and use of AIRead morePutin informs Indian PM Modi about Russia’s special military op progress — KremlinThe Russian leader had a meeting with the Indian Prime Minister in BishkekRead moreRussian forces hit over 150 vessels carrying military supplies to Ukraine in summerMore than 80 targets were hit in JulyRead moreEU fails to create jungle vs garden opposition in world — senior Russian senatorKonstantin Kosachev commented on Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez's remarks that Russia is allegedly involved in the migration crisis in the Spanish enclave of CeutaRead more