Kim Barker and Brendan Hoffman, “How a Cheap Drone Punctured Chernobyl’s 40,000-Ton Shield,” The New York Times, March 25, 2025, sec. World, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/world/europe/drone-chernobyl-shield-ukraine-war.html;

IAEA, “Frequently Asked Chernobyl Questions,” Text (IAEA, November 7, 2016), https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/focus/chernobyl/faqs;

ILLIA NOVIKOV and EFREM LUKATSKY, “A Drone Pierced the Outer Shell of Ukraine’s Chernobyl Nuclear Plant. Radiation Levels Are Normal,” AP News, February 14, 2025, https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-chernobyl-zelenskyy-71d781dbd66754d0a548edd388f3447a;

Nuclear Newswire, “Fires Extinguished at Chernobyl Following Drone Strike,” Nuclear Newswire, March 13, 2025, https://www.ans.org/news/2025-03-13/article-6852/fires-extinguished-at-chernobyl-following-drone-strike/;

UNN, “Minister of the Environment: The Dismantling of the Sarcophagus Is Postponed Due to the Russian Attack on the Chernobyl NPP | УНН,” Ukrainian National News (UNN), April 12, 2025, https://unn.ua/en/news/minister-of-the-environment-the-dismantling-of-the-sarcophagus-is-postponed-due-to-the-russian-federations-attack-on-the-chernobyl-nuclear-power-plant;

Yurii Kovalenko, “Ukraine Seeking Solutions for Damaged Chernobyl Confinement Vessel, Minister Says,” Reuters, April 13, 2025, sec. Europe, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-seeking-solutions-damaged-chernobyl-confinement-vessel-minister-says-2025-04-12/.

Want to request an episode topic? Go to https://assumedrationality.com/

Sources:

Al Jazeera Staff, “Iran Responds to Trump Letter on Nuclear Talks, State Media Reports,” Al Jazeera, March 27, 2025, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/27/iran-responds-to-trump-letter-on-restarting-nuclear-talks-state-media;

Alex Plitsas, “After Proxies and Nuclear Program Threats, Iran May Turn to Terror Abroad,” Atlantic Council (blog), March 25, 2025, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/increasing-threat-iran-transnational-terrorism/;

Doina Chiacu and David Ljunggren, “Trump Threatens Bombing If Iran Does Not Make Nuclear Deal,” Reuters, March 30, 2025, sec. World, https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-says-there-will-be-bombing-if-iran-does-not-make-nuclear-deal-2025-03-30/;

Farnaz Fassihi, “What to Know About Iran’s Response to Trump’s Letter Urging Talks,” The New York Times, March 28, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/28/world/middleeast/iran-negotiations-trump-letter.html;

Kali Robinson, “What Is the Iran Nuclear Deal?,” Council on Foreign Relations, October 27, 2023, https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-iran-nuclear-deal;

Nadeen Ebrahim, “As Trump Offers New Nuclear Talks, Iran Weighs the Cost of Losing Its Final Leverage,” CNN, March 26, 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/26/middleeast/trump-offers-new-nuclear-talks-iran-weighs-cost-mime-intl/index.html;

Offive of the Director of National Intelligence, “Annual Threat Assessment Ofthe US Intelligence Community” (Office of the Director of National Intelligence, March 2025), https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/ATA-2025-Unclassified-Report.pdf;

STEPHANIE LIECHTENSTEIN, “Iran Accelerates Production of near Weapons-Grade Uranium, IAEA Says, as Tensions with US Ratchet Up,” AP News, February 26, 2025, https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-iaea-weapons-grade-uranium-trump-0b11a99a7364f9a43e1c83b220114d45;

The Tactics Institute, “Tactics Institute Raises Alarm Over Covert Uranium Deal Between Niger and Iran,” The Tactics Institute for Security and Counterterrorism, October 7, 2024, https://tacticsinstitute.com/press-releases/tactics-institute-raises-alarm-over-covert-uranium-deal-between-niger-and-iran/;

Unshin Lee Harpley, “B-2 Bombers Arrive on Diego Garcia in Unusual Show of Force,” Air & Space Forces Magazine, March 27, 2025, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/b-2-bombers-diego-garcia/.

Music:

"Super Power Cool Dude" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Request an episode topic at: https://assumedrationality.com/contact-assumed-rationality/

Sources:

Anna Caprile and Gabija Leclerc, “Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’: Bringing the Threat to Light,” Briefing (European Parliament, November 2024 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2024/766242/EPRS_BRI(2024)766242_EN.pdf;

Eitvydas Bajarūnas, “Choking Russia’s Shadow Fleet in the Baltic,” CEPA, January 15, 2025, https://cepa.org/article/choking-russias-shadow-fleet-in-the-baltic/;

Elisabeth Braw, “The Threats Posed by the Global Shadow Fleet—and How to Stop It,” Atlantic Council (blog), December 6, 2024, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/report/the-threats-posed-by-the-global-shadow-fleet-and-how-to-stop-it/;

European Commission, “G7 Agrees Oil Price Cap: Reducing Russia’s Revenues, While Keeping Global Energy Markets Stable,” European Commission, December 2, 2022,, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/it/ip_22_7468;

Patrick Sorge and Alex Longley, “Germany Seizes Russian Oil Sitting on a Tanker in the Baltic Sea,” Bloomberg, March 21, 2025, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-21/germany-seizes-russian-oil-sitting-on-a-tanker-in-the-baltic-sea;

Rachel More and Friederike Heine, “Germany Seizes Tanker Belonging to Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’, Spiegel Reports,” Reuters, March 21, 2025, sec. Europe, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-confiscates-tanker-belonging-russian-shadow-fleet-spiegel-reports-2025-03-21/;

Robin Brooks and Ben Harris, “Where Did Russia’s Shadow Fleet Come from?,” Brookings, February 27, 2025, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/where-did-russias-shadow-fleet-come-from/;

Tess Joosse, “When Wrecks Become Reefs,” Smithsonian Ocean, January 2022, https://ocean.si.edu/ecosystems/coral-reefs/when-wrecks-become-reefs;

US Department of the Treasury, “Treasury Intensifies Sanctions Against Russia by Targeting Russia’s Oil Production and Exports,” Press Release, January 10, 2025, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2777.

Music:

"Music for Manatees" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"Super Power Cool Dude" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Want to learn more:

AP, “Serbian Officials Deny Illegal Sonic Weapon Attack on Peaceful Protesters,” AP News, March 16, 2025, https://apnews.com/article/serbia-protest-sonic-weapon-8502587e5849997175a5ea02f98d2e19;

Big Brother Watch Team, “A Guide to Facial Recognition at Protests — Big Brother Watch,” A guide to facial recognition at protests — Big Brother Watch, August 2, 2023, https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/blog/a-guide-to-facial-recognition-at-protests-2/;

Daphne Carr, “Understanding the LRAD, the ‘Sound Cannon’ Police Are Using at Protests, and How to Protect Yourself From It,” Pitchfork, June 9, 2020, https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/understanding-the-lrad-the-sound-cannon-police-are-using-at-protests-and-how-to-protect-yourself-from-it/;

Darren Loucaides, “How Governments Use Facial Recognition for Protest Surveillance - Rest of World,” Rest of the World, March 27, 2024, https://restofworld.org/2024/facial-recognition-government-protest-surveillance/#/an-end-to-privacy;

DUSAN STOJANOVIC, “Why People Are Protesting over a Deadly Roof Collapse in Serbia | AP News,” November 21, 2024, https://apnews.com/article/serbia-roof-collapse-china-protests-3cfa282938b1ddec12c4795b9ecb3e95;

EWB, “One of the Largest Protests Ever Held in Serbia, Students Accuse the Authorities of Using Illegal Device,” European Western Balkans (blog), March 15, 2025, https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2025/03/15/one-of-the-largest-protests-ever-held-in-serbia-students-accuse-the-authorities-of-using-illegal-device/;

Privacy International, “How Facial Recognition Technology Can Be Used at a Protest | Privacy International,” May 5, 2021, http://privacyinternational.org/explainer/4495/how-facial-recognition-technology-can-be-used-protest;

Privacy International, “Prosecuted for Protesting,” January 10, 2025, http://privacyinternational.org/long-read/5460/prosecuted-protesting;

Sarajevo Times, “‘Sound Cannon’ at Protest? Experts Warn of Dangerous Consequences,” Sarajevo Times, March 15, 2025, https://sarajevotimes.com/sound-cannon-at-protest-experts-warn-of-dangerous-consequences/.

Music:

"Music for Manatees" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"Super Power Cool Dude" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Want to request an episode topic? Go to https://assumedrationality.com/

Sources:

Al Jazeera, “EU Leaders Back New Defence Spending Plans,” Al Jazeera, March 6, 2024, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/6/eu-leaders-hold-emergency-summit-to-bolster-support-for-ukraine;

Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, “Doorstep by President von Der Leyen at the Leaders’ Meeting on Ukraine in London - European Commission,” European Commission, March 3, 2025, https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/news/doorstep-president-von-der-leyen-leaders-meeting-ukraine-london-2025-03-03_en;

Trump Lashes Out At Ukraine’s Zelensky: “You Don’t Have The Cards Right Now With Us!,” Youtube Shorts, 2025, https://youtube.com/shorts/AWcJAHHASWA?si=y4xgJrYx6xEkxZ67;

Kateryna Kuzmuk and Lorenzo Scarazzato, “The Transformation of Ukraine’s Arms Industry amid War with Russia | SIPRI,” February 21, 2025, https://www.sipri.org/commentary/topical-backgrounder/2025/transformation-ukraines-arms-industry-amid-war-russia;

Keir Starmer, “PM Remarks at International Leaders’ Summit Press Conference: 2 March 2025,” GOV.UK, March 2, 2025, https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-remarks-at-international-leaders-summit-press-conference-2-march-2025;

Sean Monaghan, “Europe’s Trillion Dollar Opportunity to Save Ukraine—and the Free World,” March 5, 2025, https://www.csis.org/analysis/europes-trillion-dollar-opportunity-save-ukraine-and-free-world;

Special European Council, “Special European Council,” European Council, March 6, 2025, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/european-council/2025/03/06/.

Music:

"Music for Manatees" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"Super Power Cool Dude" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Assumed Rationality is a weekly podcast hosted by Bree Megivern.

Want to learn more?

Sources:

Atomic Heritage Foundation, “Camp Century - Nuclear Museum,” https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/, July 19, 2018, https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/ahf/history/camp-century/;

Ernie Regehr, “NORAD Renewal and a Team Canada Approach to Security,” The Simons Foundation Canada, February 11, 2025, https://www.thesimonsfoundation.ca/sites/default/files/NORAD%20Renewal%20and%20a%20Team%20Canada%20approach%20to%20security%20-%20Arctic%20Security%20Briefing%20Paper%2C%20February%2011%202025_0.pdf;

Hadi Pradnyana, “Arctic Showdown: Global Power Struggles & ASEAN’s Stake in the Ice,” Modern Diplomacy, February 28, 2025, https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/02/28/arctic-showdown-global-power-struggles-aseans-stake-in-the-ice/;

Joshua LeRoi and Olga Houtsma, “MINUTEMAN III TEST LAUNCH SHOWCASES READINESS OF U.S. NUCLEAR FORCE’S SAFE, EFFECTIVE DETE,” Vandenberg Space Force Base, February 19, 2025, https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4070144/minuteman-iii-test-launch-showcases-readiness-of-us-nuclear-forces-safe-effecti/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil%2FNews%2FArticle-Display%2FArticle%2F4070144%2Fminuteman-iii-test-launch-showcases-readiness-of-us-nuclear-forces-safe-effecti%2F;

Mathieu Boulègue, “Russia’s Arctic Military Posture in the Context of the War against Ukraine,” The Arctic Institute - Center for Circumpolar Security Studies, October 31, 2024, https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/russias-arctic-military-posture-context-war-against-ukraine/;

NATO Parliamentary Assembly, “US Missile Defense Mission and Growing Arctic Capabilities in Focus during a Defense and Security Committee Visit to Alaska and Seattle, Washington,” US Missile Defence Mission and Growing Arctic Capabilities in Focus during a Defence and Security Committee Visit to Alaska and Seattle, Washington. | NATO PA, September 19, 2024, https://www.nato-pa.int/news/us-missile-defence-mission-and-growing-arctic-capabilities-focus-during-defence-and-security;

US Army Europe and Africa, “MINUTEMAN III TEST LAUNCH SHOWCASES READINESS OF U.S. NUCLEAR FORCE,” US Army Europe and Africa, February 19, 2025, https://www.europeafrica.army.mil/What-We-Do/Exercises/Arctic-Shock/videoid/952863/dvpTag/AFGSC/;

US Department of Defense, “2024 Department of Defense Arctic Strategy,” June 21, 2024.

Music:

"Music for Manatees" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"Super Power Cool Dude" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/