By Isabella Egerton South Korea’s military is investigating reports that Russia has delivered nuclear submarine reactor modules to North Korea — a transfer that, if confirmed, would represent one of the most serious acts of nuclear proliferation in recent decades. According to South Korean officials cited by the Korea JoongAng Daily, Moscow shipped two to three nuclear propulsion modules to Pyongyang earlier this year. The modules — reportedly removed from decommissioned Russian submarines — include a reactor, turbine, and cooling system, the critical elements needed to power a nuclear submarine. The alleged transfer coincided with North Korean state media photographs released…

By Sean Rayment British forces could be deployed within 200km of Taiwan to help defend the island in the event of a Chinese invasion, the British government has signalled. The UK is reportedly keen to strike a deal with the Philippines that would allow British forces to be hosted there, in a sign of Britain’s increased focus on the Indo-Pacific. The announcement from Manila comes amid China’s growing aggression in the South China Sea, where it claims virtually every feature as its own, despite staunch opposition from several countries, including the Philippines. Gilberto Teodoro Jr, the Philippines’ defence secretary, said:…

By Sean Rayment Two Iranian financiers and more than a dozen individuals and firms across Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates have been sanctioned by the US for allegedly coordinating $100 million worth of cryptocurrency transfers from the sale of Iranian oil, benefiting Iran’s government and military. The US Treasury Department alleges that Iranian nationals Alireza Derakhshan and Arash Estaki Alivand facilitated the purchase of over $100 million in cryptocurrency tied to oil sales on behalf of the Iranian government. According to the Treasury, both men then used a network of front companies across several countries to transfer the cryptocurrency. So-called shadow banking networks like…

By Sean Rayment Kidnapped children have been taken to at least 210 facilities in Russia and areas of Ukraine under Moscow’s control, as part of a Kremlin effort to secure their loyalty to President Putin, a report has said. The facilities span 3,500 miles, from the Black Sea to Siberia and the Pacific coast, according to research by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL). Researchers accused Moscow of operating a “potentially unprecedented” system of “re-education” and forced military training for Ukrainian children. The report also said that children are being made to produce drones and other military equipment for Russia’s…

By Isabella Egerton India has sent a 65-strong contingent, including troops from the Kumaon Regiment, to Russia’s Zapad-2025 military exercises, a move sources told National Security News is being interpreted within NATO as a provocative step amid rising tensions with Moscow. The drills involve around 30,000 Russian and Belarusian soldiers and include missile launches, large-scale manoeuvres, and simulated airstrikes from the Arctic to western Belarus near NATO’s eastern frontier. The Indian Ministry of Defence said the troops are stationed at the Mulino training ground, roughly 40 miles west of Nizhny Novgorod, well away from NATO borders. Delhi described the deployment as a…

By Sean Rayment The British government’s plans for a major expansion of nuclear power have been given a boost with a series of transatlantic deals for new modular reactors announced ahead of Donald Trump’s visit. The UK and US governments have promised to fast-track safety checks and announced several new private sector investment deals, with Labour emphasising the potential benefits for jobs and growth. In the biggest and most advanced commercial project, Britain’s largest energy supplier, Centrica, will partner with the US reactor firm X-energy to build up to 12 advanced modular reactors in Hartlepool, in an investment that could…

In his new book, The Mad and the Brave, journalist Colin Freeman explores the foreign volunteers who joined Ukraine’s International Legion – men and women driven by courage, madness, and a search for meaning. By Colin Freeman Coming up with a title for a new book is never easy. First, it has to say what it’s about – secondly, it has to do so in just a few catchy, zeitgeisty words. So I was rather chuffed when I thought up the original title for my book on Ukraine’s International Legion, which I was going to call It’s Not Like Call of Duty.…

By Staff Writer Stan Miller, chief executive of United Group and an independent non-executive director on the board of South Africa’s MTN Group, is facing scrutiny after reports alleged he discussed removing a senior media executive in Serbia whose outlets have been critical of the government of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and supportive of the opposition. The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and its Serbian partner KRIK published a leaked audio recording on 27 August of a meeting between Miller and Vladimir Lučić, head of state-owned Telekom Srbija, a close political ally of President Vučić. OCCRP reported: “Rumours that…

By Sean Rayment Nato jets shot down Russian drones that “repeatedly violated” Poland’s airspace during an overnight bombardment of Ukraine. Polish, Dutch and Italian fighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept at least 19 drones as citizens were urged to stay at home. It marks the most serious clash between Russia and the alliance since the start of the war in Ukraine, dragging the conflict into uncharted territory. Politicians and analysts believe it was a deliberate attempt by the Kremlin to test Nato’s response. Footage showed damage to a home struck by a drone in western Poland, its roof missing. No…

By the Editorial Board | National Security News General Sir Richard Barrons has issued the kind of warning that democratic societies too often ignore until it is too late. Writing recently in the Financial Times, the former head of UK Joint Forces Command argued that Britain has reached a critical juncture. The threats facing the country are existential, the margin for delay is evaporating, and only decisive action can secure the nation’s future. The message is direct: if Britain wishes to avoid war, it must prepare for it. A world growing more dangerous For decades after the Cold War, British policymakers…

By Isabella Egerton Russia and Belarus have launched the Zapad 2025 drills, with full-scale exercises scheduled for 12-16 September. Troops began arriving in Belarus last month, but this year’s drills are notably smaller than in previous editions. Zapad, which takes place every two years, is closely watched in the West for its proximity to NATO borders and its history of serving as a rehearsal for Russian military action. The 2021 drills preceded the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched partly from Belarusian territory. This year, Moscow’s limited capacity is on display. With forces tied up in Ukraine, Russia has sent only about 2,000…

By Sean Rayment Royal Marine recruits are increasingly turning to Christianity – and are even using their assault course’s water tank to perform baptisms, National Security News has learnt. Commando fledglings attempting to earn the coveted green beret are now regularly attending Sunday services at the training centre in Lympstone, Devon. In the past 18 months, church attendance at the base has risen rapidly and now often exceeds the chapel’s 150-person capacity. At least 26 recruits underwent full-immersion baptism earlier this year in the training centre’s Regain Tank – a 4ft-deep pool with ropes suspended above it, which candidates must traverse as…

By the Editorial Board of National Security News Phillip van Niekerk’s Right of Reply (BizNews, 03 September 2025) dismisses our reporting (“MTN’s man in Washington DC”) as a “black ops” and an “apartheid smear campaign.” However, Mr van Niekerk’s rebuttal says everything our readers need to know about him. Mr van Niekerk admits that the core facts of our reporting are accurate – he does indeed have an undisclosed role as a paid MTN consultant in Washington DC. Mr van Niekerk denies he has been collecting intelligence for MTN in Washington DC, but admits he is an “analyst” who, in…

By Staff Writer The Democratic Alliance (DA) has submitted a series of questions to the South African Parliament concerning the activities of business intelligence consultant Phillip Van Niekerk, his firm Calabar Africa, and related engagements involving MTN and government entities. Presidency Minister of State Security Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) These questions are directed at the Presidency, the Minister of State Security, and the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). The DA has requested disclosure of all contracts, remuneration, meetings, and surveillance activities involving Van Niekerk, Calabar Africa, and the Vogel Group since 2021.

By Staff Writer The Democratic Alliance (DA) has submitted extensive questions in the South African Parliament regarding the growing scandal in Washington DC centred on the activities of business intelligence consultant Phillip Van Niekerk and his lobbying and research firm, Calabar Africa. The DA has asked the President, the Minister of International Relations, and the Minister of Intelligence for urgent clarification of their relationships with Van Niekerk, Calabar Africa, and his business partner, former South African diplomat Andrew Nhlapo, in Washington DC. According to a former South African diplomat, Van Niekerk and Nhlapo regularly brief visiting ANC ministers at the…

By Staff Writer Microsoft Corporation has become the first of the global technology giants to join the World Nuclear Association (WNA), marking a pivotal step for nuclear power, which the company recognises as essential to its carbon-free energy strategy. The move highlights nuclear’s critical role in powering the AI-driven digital economy while supplying reliable, carbon-free electricity to modern data centres. The announcement coincides with the 50th World Nuclear Symposium in London. Microsoft will also participate in the WNA’s Energy Users Summit, exploring partnerships and opportunities with the nuclear and broader energy-intensive sectors. Microsoft’s energy commitments: The company’s initiatives will be led…

By Staff Writer MTN’s paid consultant in Washington DC straddles the line between opinion writing and influence operations, raising questions about disclosure and national security. Journalism without disclosure The boundaries between journalism, lobbying and foreign corporate influence are increasingly blurred. Few cases illustrate this more starkly than that of Phillip van Niekerk, a former South African journalist turned Washington-based consultant. Through his firm, Calabar Africa, van Niekerk advises MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecom operator and parent of MTN Dubai, which holds a 49 per cent stake in MTN Irancell — a joint venture with sanctioned Iranian shareholders tied to the…

By Isabella Egerton The UK and European Union have summoned senior Russian diplomats after overnight Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv killed at least 18 people, including four children, and left dozens more injured. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the strikes, which damaged the British Council offices in Kyiv, as “the killing and destruction of civilians, children and cultural institutions.” The Russian ambassador in London has been summoned. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the assault showed President Vladimir Putin was “sabotaging hopes of peace” and accused him of “killing children and civilians.” In Brussels, EU foreign policy chief…

By Sean Rayment The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is reportedly receiving 24/7 protection from armed Austrian security units following death threats from Iran. Rafael Grossi has been placed under the protection of Austria’s Cobra special forces unit, which is responsible for safeguarding top officials, including the country’s chancellor, and countering major threats such as terrorism. The International Atomic Energy Agency, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, serves as the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog. “We can confirm that Austria provided a Cobra unit, but we cannot confirm where the specific threat came from,” IAEA spokesman Fredrik Dahl told the Wall…

By Isabella Egerton The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on Iranian oil magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani and four companies linked to him, accusing them of fuelling Tehran’s overseas operations and contributing to instability in Ukraine, Israel, and the wider Middle East. The measures, announced by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), include an asset freeze, travel ban, and director disqualification on Shamkhani, alongside asset freezes and director disqualifications on Petrochemical Commercial Company (PCC), Admiral Group, Ocean Leonid Investments, and Milavous Group. The designations were made under the Iran Sanctions Regulations (2023). “The UK is announcing sanctions against those who…

By Sean Rayment One of Britain’s most senior intelligence officials has warned the government that the sale of Thames Water to a Chinese-controlled company could pose a risk to national security. Sir Simon Gass, who served as chairman of the government’s Joint Intelligence Committee until two years ago, said proposals to hand Thames Water over to the Hong Kong-based infrastructure firm CKI required “close scrutiny from a national security perspective”. He cautioned that any takeover could give the Chinese authorities access to customer data across London, including that of individuals working in “key and sometimes sensitive positions across government”. The…

By André Pienaar Australia’s intelligence community has squarely identified Iranian state-sponsored antisemitic terrorist attacks in Australia, highlighting Tehran’s growing global terrorist threat—and underscoring the urgent need for collective defence by the democracies. This follows the United Kingdom’s designation of Iran as its highest national security threat earlier this year, combined with an unprecedented 14-nation joint intelligence warning about the threat of Iranian terrorism to democracies. When Australia revealed on 26 August 2025 that Iran had directed violent attacks on Jewish targets in Sydney and Melbourne, it confirmed what many had suspected: Tehran is waging a global terrorist war against democratic nations.…

By Ben Farmer Republican heavyweights are increasing calls for Donald Trump to recognise a breakaway statelet on the Horn of Africa as an ally against Chinese influence. The head of the Senate Foreign Relations Africa Subcommittee has become the latest MAGA figure to call for Washington to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state and potentially gain a new base at the entrance to the Red Sea. Texas senator Ted Cruz has written to Mr Trump, praising Somaliland as a “critical security and diplomatic partner for the United States” and urging full recognition. Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991,…

By Sean Rayment Hundreds of US veterans wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan along with families of those killed in combat are taking legal action against a telecommunications company accused of paying protection money to insurgents. More than 500 American families and their lawyers claim MTN Group, South Africa’s largest telecom operator, paid off gunmen in both Iraq and Afghanistan so the company could operate unhindered by insurgent attacks. Lawyers representing US families and wounded veterans claim the protection money was used to buy weapons and ammunition which was subsequently used to attack members of the US armed…