CCDS hosted a joint conference for Black Sea Women in Nuclear Leadership Group and U.S. -Black Sea Nonproliferation Professionals Exchange. The conference was held on May 10, at Hilton Garden Inn, Tbilisi. Attendees included nuclear, defense and security scholars, most of whom has participated in the abovementioned exchange initiatives.

The Civil Council on Defense and Security hosted a conference, “Peace and Security in the Context of New and Evolving Threats: Perspectives from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia”. 

After Russia started an unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, the United States, along with an international coalition of more than 30 allies and partners, imposed comprehensive sanctions on Russia, including tightening export controls and other economic measures.

CCDS board member Shorena Lortkipanidze discussed the war in Ukraine on the regional Radio Old City channel.

Russia’s former president, Dmitry Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of the country’s Security Council, voiced yet another nuclear threat on 27 February... 

March 6, 2023, CCDS organized an online meeting of the project Peace and Security in the South Caucasus in the Context of New and Evolving Threats, which is supported by the GMF Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation and Implemented by the Civil Council on Defense and Security.

CCDS board member Shorena Lortkipanidze spoke about the war in Ukraine and the second round of the Russia-Ukraine negotiations on Euronews Georgia.

In his annual state of the nation speech delivered on 21 February 2023, Vladimir Putin announced the suspension of Russia’s participation in the new START treaty... 

 CCDS board member Shorena Lortkipanidze discussed the Munich Security Conference and South Caucasus issues on Euronews Georgia.

CCDS has translated an article on the possible effects of a nuclear war. The article “Nowhere To Hide: How a nuclear war would kill you - and almost everyone else” by Francois Diaz-Maurin was published in the Bulletin of the Nuclear Scientists on 20 October 2022.

The IAEA team present at Ukraine’s Zaporizhya nuclear plant reported in late January that blasts had been heard near the facility almost daily for weeks.

In Autumn 2022 CCDS started its partnership with the Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network (BSWN), which was established a year ago but has already achieved impressive results in reaching out and growing.

CCDS board member Shorena Lortkipanidze assessed the political situation in the post-Soviet states on the TV9-Akhaltsiskhe channel.

This report is based of the article by Darya Dolzikova, Daniel Salisbury, “Triple threat: Russia, Iran, and North Korea trade arms to get around sanctions”.

In December 2022, debates continued about what NATO’s role should be in Ukraine where Russia is waging a war.

Within the framework of the project Promoting Pluralism and Combating Stereotypes, second workshop was held for civil society representatives, in Marneuli, Kvemo kartli region. Participants were from local civil society organizations and NGOs, as well as local representatives of bigger nation-wide organizations.  

December 5, 2022, marked an opening of the project Promoting Pluralism and Combating Stereotypes, which will focus on three diverse regions of Georgia – Kvemo Kartli, Adjara and Samtskhe-Javakheti. Within the framework of the project, first workshop was held for media representatives, in Marneuli, Kvemo kartli region.

In late November, Ukraine’s all four operational nuclear plants, including the largest Zaporizhya plant, regained connection to the national power grid following a loss of external power earlier, IAEA reported.

CCDS board member Shorena Lortkipanidze appeared on Blitz interview on Radio Maestro.

CCDS board members - Irakli Mchedlishvili and Shorena Lortkipanidze discussing nuclear threats and outcomes of the 4th Tbilisi Regional Forum for Regional Stability.