The Nuclear Weapons That Will Never Go Off

[Grim Reaper 6]

You might have missed a news item from Kazakhstan: the elimination of the last weapons-grade uranium in that country. In a program jointly operated with the United States, Kazakh scientists ground 2.9 kilograms of highly enriched uranium into a fine powder. They then mixed that powder with enough low-enriched uranium powder to render the whole batch useless for bomb-making. And with that operation, Kazakhstan’s career as a nuclear state came to an end.

Kazakhstan marks the 30th anniversary of its independence in December. In ways few Americans fully understand—and despite the cruel slurs of the Borat movies—the Kazakh state has proved one of the most helpful friends the United States has ever had. The program that did so much to mitigate post-Soviet hazards has faded into history. The civilization-saving job is done. Remembrance and gratitude are due.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-bombs-that-never-went-off/ar-BB1f1BUi

[+DieChecker]

Congrats Kazakhstan. I wish every nation was as responsible to the future.

[+and-then]

I'm surprised they were allowed to keep the material at all.  Had Ukraine refused to give up their nukes, they'd have avoided being overrun by Russia.

[Grim Reaper 6]

1 hour ago, and then said:

I'm surprised they were allowed to keep the material at all.  Had Ukraine refused to give up their nukes, they'd have avoided being overrun by Russia.

Many of the Warsaw PAC Countries were not only left holding fissile materials that were Weapons grade, both Plutonium and Uranium. No to mention that during the collapse of the Warsaw PAC, its reported that up to 50 Suit Case Nuclear Weapons were unaccounted for and never recovered. So it no surprise to me that Kazakhstan had the materials and particle weapons that were left behind on hand. But like the article says they should be applauded for deciding to render the materials useless.

Missing Suit Case Nuclear Weapons.

https://nonproliferation.org/are-suitcase-nukes-on-the-loose-the-story-behind-the-controversy/

Edited March 28, 2021 by Manwon Lender