Beyond Nuclear International Weekly Digest, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Posted: 17th November 2025

Ukraine is embroiled in a massive corruption scandal around kickbacks to oligarchs and officials related to contracts with Energoatom. And Dr. Ghassan Shahrour urges us to view the COP30 climate summit in Belém as a chance to exercise conscience, not just carbon reductions.

Nuclear scandal grips Ukraine

A massive scandal involving $100 million in graft and high-up officials has exploded in Ukraine after investigators uncovered corruption related to contracts with the state nuclear energy company, Energoatom. Ministers and businessmen close to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, were heard plotting the scheme in more than 1,000 hours of recordings and after scores of searches. Linda Pentz Gunter wonders whether Zelensky can survive the turmoil and notes the similarities to other nuclear power-related crimes in the US.

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Poisoned by smoke and silence

The COP30 Belém, Brazil climate summit being held in “the beating heart” of the Amazon, must prioritize the most vulnerable as a matter of conscience because climate security is inseparable from human security, argues Dr. Ghassan Shahrour. That means giving rights and voice to Indigenous leaders and climate campaigners and promoting an energy transition that uplifts the Global South and integrates disarmament into climate and development agendas. 

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