Latest News
Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons. Now it’s asking why
Under heavy grey skies and a thin coating of snow, hulking grey and green Cold War relics recall Ukraine’s Soviet past.
Missiles, launchers and transporters stand as monuments to an era when Ukraine played a key role in the Soviet Union’s nuclear weapons programme – its ultimate line of defence.
Under the partially raised concrete and steel lid of a silo, a vast intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) peeks out.
But the missile is a replica, cracked and mouldy. For almost 30 years, the silo has been full of rubble.
The whole sprawling base, near the central Ukrainian city of Pervomais’k, has long since turned into a museum.
As a newly independent Ukraine emerged from under Moscow’s shadow in the early 1990s, Kyiv turned its back on nuclear weapons.
But nearly three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, and with no clear agreement among allies on how to guarantee Ukraine’s security when the war ends, many now feel that was a mistake.
Thirty years ago, on 5 December 1994, at a ceremony in Budapest, Ukraine joined Belarus and Kazakhstan in giving up their nuclear arsenals in return for security guarantees from the United States, the UK, France, China and Russia.
Strictly speaking, the missiles belonged to the Soviet Union, not to its newly independent former republics.
But a third of the USSR’s nuclear stockpile was located on Ukrainian soil, and handing over the weapons was regarded as a significant moment, worthy of international recognition.
“The pledges on security assurances that [we] have given these three nations…underscore our commitment to the independence, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of these states,” then US President Bill Clinton said in Budapest.
As a young graduate of a military academy in Kharkiv, Oleksandr Sushchenko arrived at Pervomais’k two years later, just as the process of decommissioning was getting under way.
He watched as the missiles were taken away and the silos blown up.
Now he’s back at the base as one of the museum’s curators.
London, UK – April 4,2025 – The Social Rehabilitation Foundation UK (SRF-UK), an international humanitarian organization committed to sustainable development, today issued a global call for partnerships with NGOs, charities, and civil society organizations to address interconnected crises in poverty, education, women’s empowerment, and public health in vulnerable communities worldwide.
A Multidimensional Crisis Demanding Collective Action
SRF-UK’s latest research highlights alarming global disparities:
• 689 million people live in extreme poverty (World Bank)
• 258 million children remain out of school (UNESCO)
• 1 in 3 women experiences gender-based violence (WHO)
• 50% of the world’s population lacks essential health services (WHO/World Bank)
“These aren’t isolated issues but interconnected challenges requiring collaborative solutions,” said Mr.Asif , Director of SRF-UK. “From the local Desk, we need united action.”
Priority Areas for Partnership
SRF-UK seeks partners for:
1. Poverty Alleviation
• Microfinance initiatives
• Sustainable livelihood programs
• Emergency shelter projects
2. Education Revolution
• School construction in conflict zones
• Digital literacy programs
• Vocational training centers
3. Women’s Empowerment
• Gender-based violence prevention
• Economic inclusion programs
• Leadership development initiatives
4. Public Health Advancement
• Mobile health clinics
• Nutrition programs
• WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) projects
Why Partner With SRF-UK?
✔ Global Footprint: Active in 15 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East
✔ Proven Model: 78% program success rate in sustainable interventions
✔ Local Expertise: 85% of field staff are community members
Join Our Global Network
NGOs, international organizations, and corporate social responsibility partners interested in collaboration may contact:
Partnerships Team
Email: info@srfoundation.uk
Website: www.srfoundation.uk/global-partnerships
“The Sustainable Development Goals won’t be achieved by any single organization. We need an alliance of change-makers,” Mr.Asif .
Available for Media:
• High-resolution photos/videos from our field operations
• Expert commentary on global development challenges
• Customized regional data snapshots
About Social Rehabilitation Foundation UK
A UK-registered working organization to create lasting change through education, economic empowerment, and health initiatives. SRF-UK has impacted over 2.3 million lives across 46 projects worldwide.
Michael Storc and his family had just survived a devastating wildfire.
Now they have to face a daunting new challenge that he had hoped to never experience again – the Los Angeles housing market.
After losing the Altadena home that he owned in the Eaton fire, he was scouring for a new place to rent, and having little luck.
“What’s available is not nice at all and the rents have gone up a lot,” Mr Storc told the BBC. “I told my teenage daughter we had to accept we would live somewhere not very nice.”
The Los Angeles area already has one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. And with thousands now displaced by the Palisades and Eaton fires, Angelenos are anxious that the sudden surge in demand could make rents and home prices soar even higher.
California has an anti-price gouging law that prevents landlords from raising rents more than 10% after the governor declares an emergency. It applies to both existing and tenants and new leases.
Follow live updates
LA brain surgeon saves street from fires
Many Los Angeles County buildings are also covered by rent stabilisation laws, which prevent landlords from raising the rent for existing tenants above a certain percentage even in normal circumstances.
“It is illegal. You cannot do it,” California attorney general Rob Bonta said at a Saturday press conference. “It is a crime punishable by up to a year in jail and fines.”
Not everyone was certain that the law would be completely enforceable, however.
“We’re aware of that but my question is, how is that being regulated? And who’s monitoring that?” said Jessica Heredia, a realtor based in the high-end Brentwood neighbourhood for the last 20 years.
A Los Angeles brain surgeon who fought for almost a week to save the houses on his street from wildfires told the BBC he spent 15 years preparing for such an event.
Malibu resident Dr Chester Griffiths, 62, ignored evacuation orders to keep flames from the Palisades fire at bay with the help of his son and neighbour, until emergency services were able to reach them.
“We had always known that a fire would come someday – but we didn’t know when,” Dr Griffiths told the BBC’s Today Programme.
“We never fathomed it would be this catastrophic and apocalyptic.”
Social Rehabilitation Foundation UK Calls for Global NGO Partnerships
UK bans cattle, pigs and sheep imports from Germany after foot-and-mouth case
Spain plans 100% tax for homes bought by non-EU residents
Earthquake scientists are learning warning signs of ‘The Big One.’ When should they tell the public?
Tarar accuses Imran Khan of conspiring with Faiz Hameed to destabilise Pakistan
PTI Announces Not to Boycott New Committees
-
Entertainment8 months agoEarthquake scientists are learning warning signs of ‘The Big One.’ When should they tell the public?
-
International8 months agoTarar accuses Imran Khan of conspiring with Faiz Hameed to destabilise Pakistan
-
International6 months agoPTI Announces Not to Boycott New Committees
-
Fashion3 months agoA fashion expert’s insider guide to shopping in New York City
-
Tech3 months agoNew policy outlines next generation of technology
-
International3 months agoLA fire victims fear new housing crisis
-
Tech3 months agoLight technology engages people with dementia
-
Tech3 months agoHip surgery trial boosted by robot technology