The Restricted Handling Podcast

Step beyond the headlines and official spin to uncover the deeper realities inside Russia and China’s economies. We take a close look at how Moscow and Beijing project power abroad while grappling with fragile foundations at home, from Russia’s unsustainable wartime spending to China’s faltering growth and anxious workforce. We cut through state narratives to reveal the costs of these economies, costs borne not by leaders, but by ordinary citizens facing higher prices and shrinking opportunities. With insights from data, policy shifts, and on-the-ground reports, we trace how these two authoritarian powers strain to maintain control, and how their choices reverberate across global markets, diplomacy, and the lives of millions.

China is having one of those weeks—and this episode breaks it all down with clarity, speed, and just enough edge to keep things sharp. In RH 1.21.26 | China: Allies Hedge, Embassies Rise, Seas Heat Up, we walk through how Beijing is navigating a rapidly shifting global environment where pressure is coming from every direction at once. From uneasy economic hedging by U.S. allies, to rising military friction in the South China Sea, to internal discipline tightening inside China’s own intelligence apparatus, this episode captures a 24-hour snapshot of a system under strain—but still very much in motion. We start with China’s external relationships, where the ground is clearly shifting. Canada and the United Kingdom are both making calculated economic moves toward Beijing, not out of ideological alignment, but as insurance against volatility from Washington. Canada opens the door to Chinese electric vehicles. Britain approves China’s largest European embassy right in the heart of London. These aren’t friendship bracelets—they’re hedges. And Beijing knows it. We unpack what China is offering, what it’s withholding, and why these moves stop well short of any realignment on security. From there, the focus swings back to Beijing’s growing discomfort overseas. Chinese interests in Venezuela and Iran are under real pressure following U.S. actions that Beijing can’t easily counter. Oil supply disruptions, stranded loans, and embedded Chinese infrastructure now operating in uncertain political environments highlight a core vulnerability: China is globally invested, but still lacks the global security reach to protect those investments the way the United States does. This episode digs into what that means for Chinese strategy going forward. The Indo-Pacific remains the sharp edge. We cover continued PLA naval drills around Taiwan, including blockade-style exercises that emphasize endurance and repetition rather than surprise. At the same time, Taiwan’s own domestic politics are slowing defense spending plans, creating a dangerous mismatch between external pressure and internal paralysis. That contrast matters—and Beijing is watching closely. In the South China Sea, tensions continue to climb. China expels a Philippine aircraft near Scarborough Shoal, deploys serious naval logistics assets, and issues unusually blunt warnings. Manila responds not just with statements, but with new ships and public transparency. The risk of miscalculation is real, and the U.S. alliance framework looms quietly in the background. We also hit China’s expanding role in Southeast Asia’s cybercrime crackdowns, Europe’s tightening stance on Chinese tech in critical infrastructure, and a notable internal development: the downfall of a former senior Chinese intelligence official, reinforcing that Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign remains very much alive—especially within the security services. This episode is fast, informed, and grounded in what actually happened over the last 24 hours. No hype. No filler. Just a clear-eyed look at how China is balancing pressure abroad, discipline at home, and friction everywhere in between. If you’re tracking China, great-power competition, military signaling, or how allies are adapting in real time—this one’s for you. 

Russia turned the volume all the way up in the dead of winter — and this episode breaks down exactly what that looks like in real time. In RH 1.21.26, we walk through one of the most consequential 24-hour stretches of the war so far, as Moscow unleashed a massive combined missile-and-drone attack across Ukraine, hammering energy infrastructure, plunging cities into darkness, and pushing dangerously close to nuclear red lines. This wasn’t just another overnight strike. This was escalation with intent. Russian forces launched hundreds of drones alongside ballistic, cruise, and even hypersonic missiles, overwhelming the skies and forcing Ukraine to burn through high-end air defense at staggering cost. Kyiv went dark again. Heating and water systems failed in the middle of freezing temperatures. And most alarmingly, Russian strikes knocked out off-site power to the Chornobyl nuclear site — not once, but for the second time in roughly a week. Ukrainian engineers restored power, but the pattern matters. This episode explains why repeated “temporary” outages are a strategic weapon, not an accident. We also dig into Moscow’s response, which was pure Kremlin muscle memory: deny the risk, accuse Ukraine of exaggeration, and keep striking anyway. The messaging hasn’t changed since Soviet times — but the consequences are far more immediate. On the battlefield, we cover how the war continues to evolve into a drone-dominated, math-driven grind. Russia is throwing cheap drones in massive numbers. Ukraine is intercepting most of them, but at enormous financial cost. This episode breaks down why air defense is becoming a resource war as much as a military one — and why Ukraine is rapidly reorganizing its forces around interceptor drones, mobile fire groups, and data-driven command systems. There’s also a major update on strikes inside Russia. Ukrainian drones hit oil refineries and storage facilities tied to exports, reinforcing a growing pattern: if Russia targets Ukraine’s energy system, Ukraine will impose costs on Russia’s revenue streams. The energy war now cuts both ways. Diplomatically, the contrast couldn’t be sharper. While Russian envoys talked with U.S. intermediaries around Davos, Moscow publicly rejected ceasefires and doubled down on maximalist territorial demands. This episode explores how Russia is negotiating and escalating at the same time — and why that contradiction is deliberate, not chaotic. We round out the episode by looking beyond Ukraine. Arrests for Russian-linked espionage across Europe, cyber warnings from the UK, industrial disruption inside Russia, and tightening domestic repression all point to a conflict that’s spilling far beyond the front lines. This isn’t a victory lap. It’s not a breakthrough story. It’s a snapshot of a war settling into a harsher, colder phase — one where winter, electricity, drones, and endurance matter more than territory. If you want a clear, engaging, no-nonsense breakdown of what Russia did, why it matters, and how Ukraine is responding — this episode is for you. 

China hit its growth target—but the story doesn’t stop at the headline. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down what’s really happening inside China right now, and why the last 24 hours offer a sharp snapshot of where Beijing is headed politically, economically, and militarily. Xi Jinping is tightening the screws at home, and the numbers are eye-popping. Nearly one million people punished for corruption in 2025 alone. Senior officials, military officers, executives, academics—no one is off-limits. This isn’t a cleanup; it’s a control mechanism. We dig into how Xi’s rule isn’t a break from Deng Xiaoping’s system, but the logical end state of it—and why weak institutional guardrails from the reform era made today’s hyper-centralization almost inevitable. On the economic front, yes, China technically hit its 5% GDP growth target, but exports are doing all the heavy lifting while domestic demand drags its feet. Retail sales are weak. Investment is falling. Real estate remains a massive anchor. Beijing is now openly talking about “strong supply, weak demand” and floating longer-term fixes like industrial consolidation and a national M&A fund—while very deliberately avoiding a big stimulus blast. We explain what that restraint signals and why policymakers appear more worried about bubbles than bailouts. Exports are still booming—but at a cost. As U.S. demand fades under tariffs and political friction, Chinese firms have pivoted aggressively toward Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. The result? Record trade surpluses, shrinking margins, exhausted sales teams, longer payment cycles, and rising risk. Growth by volume, not value. Sustainable? That’s the open question. We also cover how trade is becoming a weapon, especially when it comes to rare earth magnets—critical for EVs, renewables, and military systems. New export restrictions, stockpiling by foreign buyers, and rising anxiety in Japan and Europe all point to a world where access to Chinese supply chains is increasingly conditional. Overseas, the risks are getting real. A deadly ISIS attack on a Chinese-run restaurant in Kabul underscores the growing vulnerability of Chinese nationals abroad. In Southeast Asia, scam compounds trapping Chinese citizens are straining diplomatic ties. In Africa, long-running infrastructure scandals continue to generate reputational blowback, even when Chinese institutions aren’t formally involved. Militarily, China is still expanding. New construction on artificial islands in the South China Sea is extending Beijing’s surveillance and power projection. Around Taiwan, PLA planners are adjusting to a world where surprise is basically gone—operating under constant U.S. and Japanese surveillance and leaning more heavily on electronic warfare, deception, and resilience. Layer all of that over China’s accelerating demographic decline, and you start to see why everything feels urgent, controlled, and tightly wound. If you want a sharp, engaging, and unfiltered breakdown of China’s political power, economic stress, military posture, and global exposure—this episode is for you. 

Russia turns up the pressure, Ukraine adapts on the fly, and diplomacy tries to keep up. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down a chaotic 24 hours that perfectly capture where the war in Ukraine — and Russia’s broader strategy — stands right now. From Kyiv’s darkest nights of the war to Moscow’s loudest political signaling, this is a snapshot of a conflict settling in for the long haul. We start with Russia’s escalating air campaign and the very real consequences on the ground. Drone and missile strikes cut power and water to parts of Kyiv, pushing the capital into its longest outages yet. This isn’t random targeting. Russia is leaning hard into energy warfare in the middle of winter, probing substations, stressing the grid, and creating uncertainty around nuclear power infrastructure. It’s pressure warfare designed to hurt civilians, strain governments, and test international nerves — all without crossing lines that would trigger an immediate response. Ukraine isn’t standing still. President Volodymyr Zelensky announces a major shift in air defense doctrine, betting on interceptor drones, mobile fire groups, and short-range systems to survive mass Shahed attacks without draining missile stockpiles. This episode digs into why the drone war has become a numbers game, how saturation attacks are changing air defense economics, and why adaptation — not flashy tech — is now the decisive factor. On the battlefield, the grind continues. Russian forces claim marginal advances, Ukraine counters with evidence of control in key areas like Kupyansk, and both sides rely increasingly on small units, drones, and improvised mobility. We cover Ukraine’s deep strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, including attacks on oil facilities and the lingering mystery of a damaged Russian submarine that still hasn’t moved weeks after a Ukrainian underwater drone strike. Meanwhile, Moscow is sending mixed signals to the world. Kremlin envoys head to Davos for more backchannel diplomacy with U.S. figures, even as Russian strikes intensify. Putin is reportedly invited to a new U.S.-backed “Board of Peace” focused on Gaza, adding another layer of surreal optics to an already upside-down diplomatic landscape. Russia talks peace abroad while preparing its population for permanent war at home. That domestic preparation is getting louder. Putin reportedly curates a pro-war political lineup ahead of the 2026 State Duma elections, elevating hardliners, ultranationalists, and loyal propagandists. At the same time, the Kremlin tightens repression, expands internet censorship, and lashes out at international legal efforts targeting Russian war crimes. We also look at how Russia is exploiting Western political friction, openly cheering tensions inside NATO and amplifying chaos around issues like Greenland and transatlantic trade. Add in bizarre hybrid operations — including pro-war fundraising disguised as religious charity in Europe — and you get a clear picture of how wide this conflict has become. If you want a sharp, accessible breakdown of Russia’s strategy, Ukraine’s adaptations, and the strange mix of war, politics, and information operations shaping this moment, this episode is for you. 

China hit its 2025 growth target—but don’t get distracted by the headline. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we rip into what’s actually powering Beijing right now, where the stress fractures are forming, and why the PLA, the yuan, and a whole lot of drones are showing up in the same 24-hour window. This is a fast-moving, high-context breakdown of China’s current posture across economics, military pressure, intelligence operations, and emerging technology—delivered with energy, clarity, and just enough bite to keep things real. We start with the big number: 5% GDP growth. Sounds solid. Looks official. But once you look under the hood, it’s clear China dragged itself across the finish line on the back of exports, posting a record-smashing trade surplus while domestic consumption, investment, and real estate continue to sink. Retail spending is weak. Property is still in freefall. Local governments are strapped. And Beijing knows it—which is why stimulus remains cautious and tightly targeted. Then we get into the demographic collapse. Births hit their lowest level since 1949. The population shrank again. This isn’t abstract or academic—this feeds directly into housing demand, labor supply, military manpower, and long-term national power. No amount of propaganda can brute-force people into having kids when the economic math doesn’t work. From there, the focus shifts east—Taiwan. PLA drones pushed into airspace around the Pratas Islands in classic gray-zone fashion, staying just outside engagement range and forcing Taiwan to respond without escalating. At the same time, Chinese forces loudly tracked U.S. naval transits through the Taiwan Strait. No surprises here—but repetition is the point. Beijing is conditioning behavior, normalizing pressure, and tightening the operational environment one step at a time. The intelligence angle gets just as uncomfortable. A Taiwanese media figure and multiple military personnel were detained for allegedly leaking information to Chinese handlers. This wasn’t flashy espionage—it was quiet, transactional, and aimed straight at the information ecosystem. Narrative control matters as much as classified documents. We also dig into China’s yuan strategy, as Beijing continues pushing alternatives to the dollar-based financial system while Washington deals with its own institutional turbulence. This isn’t about replacing the dollar overnight—it’s about carving out parallel lanes, especially for sanctioned states and politically aligned partners. On the military tech front, we cover China’s shift toward unmanned armored turrets, expanded defense exports into Central Asia, and claims of quantum-based cyber warfare tools already being tested in frontline conditions. Some of it’s hype. Some of it’s real. All of it points in the same direction: asymmetric advantage. This episode is for listeners tracking China security strategy, PLA operations, Taiwan contingency dynamics, economic coercion, cyber warfare, and great power competition—without the fluff and without pretending the numbers tell the whole story. Plug in. Strap in. China’s moving fast, and the signals are getting louder. 

Russia turns the lights off, fires up the drone factory, and shows up to Davos pretending it wants peace. That’s the vibe. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down one of the most consequential 24-hour windows of the war in Ukraine as Russia escalates its winter pressure campaign and pushes the conflict into even riskier territory. Moscow is preparing strikes that could sever power to Ukraine’s nuclear plants, a move that would amplify blackouts, freeze civilians, and raise serious nuclear safety concerns. Energy warfare is no longer a side show—it’s the main event. We walk through Russia’s massive overnight drone attacks, why Shahed saturation matters more than precision, and how Ukraine is hitting back by knocking out power in Russian-occupied territory. Hundreds of thousands without electricity. Sub-zero temperatures. Two sides locked in a grid war that’s less about territory and more about breaking endurance. At the same time, diplomacy is in full theater mode. U.S., Ukrainian, and European officials are heading to Davos for another round of talks, while the Kremlin openly signals that it has no intention of cutting a deal in 2026. Putin’s investment envoy is flying in for meetings, but Russian messaging at home says peace isn’t coming anytime soon. We unpack how Moscow plays both sides—talking negotiations while escalating strikes—and why that pattern keeps repeating. This episode also dives into the political economy of the war. The Trump administration’s decision to put BlackRock at the center of Ukraine’s postwar recovery plan is shaking European capitals and raising uncomfortable questions about who actually benefits from reconstruction. Is this a modern Marshall Plan, or a high-stakes investment pitch dressed up as peacebuilding? We explain why this matters now, not after the shooting stops. On the battlefield, Ukraine is denying Russia leverage where it counts. We take you inside the fight for Kupyansk, where Ukrainian drone units are hunting Russian infiltrators crawling through gas pipelines and forests in a gritty, modern urban defense that’s stopping Moscow from claiming a key logistics hub. No victory parades. No bargaining chips. We also cover Russia’s plans to ramp drone production to industrial levels, Ukraine’s deep-strike campaign inside Russia, the growing use of interceptor drones, and what this says about the future of warfare. Plus, we zoom out to look at Russia’s increasingly shaky global posture—strained alliances, hybrid warfare across Europe, and a Kremlin that’s enjoying NATO drama while quietly managing its own credibility problems. Fast, sharp, and grounded in real-world security dynamics, this episode connects energy warfare, drone saturation, diplomacy, and global power politics into one clear picture of where Russia is headed—and why the next phase of the war may be colder, darker, and far more dangerous. If you want to understand what actually matters right now in Russia’s war strategy—and why the lights going out might be as important as tanks rolling in—this one’s for you. 

Get ready for a fast-moving, global rundown in this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast: What’s Coming Up Next Week in the World. If you’re trying to stay ahead of international security, geopolitics, and global power shifts without drowning in noise, this is your weekly orientation briefing — built for analysts, operators, policymakers, and anyone who wants to understand how the world is lining up before the headlines hit.In this episode, we walk through the key geopolitical events scheduled for the week ahead, covering everything from high-stakes diplomacy in Europe to economic signals coming out of China and Japan. This is not speculation or prediction. Every item discussed is anchored to real calendars, official meetings, and known timing triggers that have historically mattered in global affairs.We start in Davos, where the World Economic Forum once again becomes the temporary capital of global power. Heads of state, finance ministers, military leaders, and CEOs gather to debate — and sometimes posture — about war, trade, energy, and economic stability. Ukraine’s leadership is working to keep Western focus locked in, China is managing optics around slowing growth, and the U.S. is setting the tone for its priorities in an increasingly fragmented world.From there, we pivot to Beijing, where China’s GDP release offers one of the clearest windows into the health of the world’s second-largest economy. These numbers don’t just move markets — they shape internal Communist Party decision-making, stimulus debates, and Beijing’s global confidence. When China’s growth story falters, the consequences ripple far beyond Asia.Midweek brings us to Moscow, where Russia’s foreign minister delivers his annual foreign policy address. If you’re tracking the war in Ukraine, NATO-Russia dynamics, or Kremlin messaging, this is required listening. These speeches are less about new policy and more about signaling resolve, grievance, and endurance — a familiar playbook with roots going back to the Soviet era.We also cover Ukraine’s Unity Day, a powerful national moment during wartime, as well as a critical Bank of Japan policy decision that could quietly reshape global financial conditions. Central banks may not dominate headlines like missiles do, but their decisions can move the world just as decisively.Finally, we close with a sharp watchlist: Gaza governance discussions, NATO military support timelines for Ukraine, mounting pressure on Iran, and diplomatic groundwork being laid ahead of major EU-India engagements.If you care about international security, geopolitics, Russia-Ukraine war analysis, China’s economy, Middle East stability, or global power competition, this episode gives you the context you need — delivered with energy, clarity, and just enough edge to keep it human.Subscribe, follow, and share The Restricted Handling Podcast — where serious world events get treated seriously, without being boring.

A weekly deep dive into the latest spy stories and intelligence updates from across the globe. We spotlight the hidden dynamics driving security crises, geopolitical maneuvering, and covert operations—all with a sharp, unvarnished perspective. From cyber threats to clandestine influence campaigns, this episode pulls together the week’s most critical developments, cutting through the noise and spin. Join us as we uncover the storylines shaping tomorrow’s conflicts, power plays, and intelligence battles.

China is back on the move—and this episode breaks down how Beijing is quietly applying pressure across the map while the rest of the world is looking elsewhere. In RH 1.16.26 | China: Fish Farms, Flat-Tops, and the Long Game, we walk through the last 24 hours of China’s most consequential geopolitical, military, and economic activity, focusing on what actually matters beneath the headlines. This isn’t a surface-level news recap. It’s a stitched-together picture of how China is pairing diplomacy, gray-zone pressure, and hard capability development to shape its strategic environment without firing a shot. We start in Northeast Asia, where China’s so-called “aquaculture platforms” in the Yellow Sea are testing South Korea’s patience—and its maritime rights. These aren’t just fish farms. They’re massive steel structures sitting in disputed waters near major ports, U.S. bases, and Chinese naval headquarters. This episode unpacks why President Lee Jae Myung raised the issue directly with Xi Jinping, what China promised to do, and why that promise is now the real signal to watch. From there, we zoom out to the global picture, where Beijing is positioning itself as the calm, “responsible” actor while the United States flexes hard in Venezuela and threatens action against Iran. We explain how China’s public calls for restraint mask a deeply pragmatic strategy—one that lets American military power do the disrupting while Beijing quietly reassesses its exposure and influence. We also track the movement of U.S. military power, including the USS Abraham Lincoln shifting from the South China Sea toward the Middle East. The carrier is still a symbol of unmatched American force—but its redeployment highlights a reality China understands very well: U.S. attention is finite, and every move has opportunity costs in the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan sits at the center of it all. This episode digs into China’s latest J-20 stealth fighter upgrades, the push toward AI-enabled, networked air warfare, and—critically—the less glamorous but far more decisive logistics story. New Chinese amphibious barges capable of turning beaches into temporary ports are now conducting trials, reinforcing that Beijing isn’t just planning how to fight—but how to sustain a fight. On the economic and technology front, we break down the U.S.–Taiwan semiconductor deal, why it’s framed as national security in Washington, and why Chinese AI leaders are now openly admitting the chip gap is widening. Export controls aren’t theory anymore—they’re reshaping corporate strategy inside China in real time. We also cover Canada’s pivot toward Beijing, shifting NATO public opinion, China’s expanding intelligence cooperation in Myanmar, humanitarian-branded naval diplomacy in Brazil, and Beijing’s tightening grip on cross-border law enforcement in Southeast Asia.

Russia isn’t narrowing its war aims — it’s doubling down. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down the last 24 hours of developments that show Moscow escalating politically, rhetorically, and operationally as winter tightens its grip on the war in Ukraine. We start with Vladimir Putin himself reinforcing what’s becoming impossible to ignore: this war was never just about Ukraine. The Kremlin is once again tying its invasion to NATO expansion, reviving pre-2022 demands to roll the alliance back to its 1997 borders. That framing matters, especially as talk of peace negotiations resurfaces. Russia is making clear it wants a rewrite of Europe’s security order, not a ceasefire line on a map. At the same time, nuclear rhetoric is back in the spotlight. Kremlin-aligned strategist Sergey Karaganov openly warned that Russia would use nuclear weapons if it faced defeat, even as Moscow complains that Washington hasn’t responded to a proposed extension of the New START arms control treaty. It’s classic Russian signaling: threaten escalation while positioning yourself as the “responsible” actor. We unpack what that looks like in real time — and why the timing isn’t accidental. On the battlefield, the contrast between Russian claims and reality keeps widening. Russian military leadership is touting sweeping advances, but independent reporting shows territorial gains slowing to a crawl. We revisit Kupyansk, border “buffer zones” in Sumy and Kharkiv, and how small tactical actions are being sold as strategic breakthroughs. Winter is biting hard, and infantry-heavy tactics are proving costly and inefficient. Energy warfare remains the sharpest knife in the drawer. Russian strikes have destroyed key energy infrastructure, including a major facility in Kharkiv, pushing Ukraine into a nationwide energy emergency during sub-zero temperatures. Kyiv is scrambling with emergency imports, grid repairs, and political fallout — including very public disputes over preparedness. This isn’t just about electricity; it’s about civilian survival, governance under fire, and morale in the coldest months of the war. We also track how Europe is stepping further into the breach. France is now providing a major share of Ukraine’s intelligence support, NATO is focused on air defense and energy protection, and international financial institutions are moving fast to keep Ukraine solvent and functioning. Meanwhile, Russia is pushing pressure outward with sabotage plots, cyber activity, maritime harassment, and disinformation campaigns using AI-generated fake news clips targeting Ukrainian refugees. Inside Russia and occupied Ukraine, the strain is increasingly visible: falling revenues, rising enlistment bonuses, expanded mobilization measures, crushing inflation in Crimea, unresolved housing crises in Mariupol, and intensified repression — including the forced transfer and indoctrination of Ukrainian children. This episode connects the dots between nuclear threats, winter warfare, NATO politics, energy attacks, hybrid operations, and internal Russian pressure — all without the hype, but with plenty of sharp edges. If you want a clear, candid, and fast-moving breakdown of how Russia is fighting, signaling, and straining all at once, this is one you don’t want to miss.

China is having one of those days—smiles on the surface, pressure everywhere else. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down how Beijing is running a full-spectrum influence campaign while tightening control at home and quietly reshaping the global tech and economic battlefield. We start in Northeast Asia, where China and Japan are openly competing for South Korea’s attention. Chinese leader Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet for South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Beijing, complete with ceremony, symbolism, and carefully chosen historical messaging. Not to be outdone, Japan countered with its own high-touch diplomacy, turning a routine summit into a K-pop-infused charm offensive. What looks playful on the surface is actually deadly serious geopolitics, with Seoul caught between Washington, Beijing, and Tokyo as pressure builds over Taiwan, trade, and alliance politics. From there, we dig into the latest twists in the U.S.–China technology standoff. The Trump administration approved exports of Nvidia’s powerful H200 AI chip to China—then layered in a narrow but very real tariff that effectively takes a cut of AI sales headed overseas. Beijing’s response? No shouting, no headlines—just quiet friction at the border and warnings to domestic firms. It’s a masterclass in leverage without escalation, and a reminder that the chip war is anything but linear. Canada enters the picture as well. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s trip to Beijing signals how U.S. unpredictability is forcing allies to hedge. With tariffs biting and trade talks stalled in Washington, Ottawa is exploring ways to stabilize economic ties with China without creating new dependencies. Canola, electric vehicles, energy, and geopolitics all collide in this increasingly delicate dance. Inside China, the screws are tightening. Beijing has ordered domestic companies to stop using U.S. and Israeli cybersecurity software, citing national security concerns. At the same time, China’s counter-espionage apparatus is warning about leaks of mapping and geospatial data, treating terrain, infrastructure, and survey information as strategic assets. Data is power—and Beijing is locking it down. We also track pressure points abroad: Venezuelan oil shipments to China drying up after U.S. enforcement actions, infrastructure disputes flaring again along the China-India border, and Chinese surveillance technology showing up in Iran’s crackdown on protesters. And beneath it all, the Chinese system continues to churn from within, as a wave of senior PLA officers quietly disappear from public view amid an intensifying anti-corruption purge. This episode connects the dots between diplomacy, technology, energy, and internal control—showing how China is juggling influence abroad while reinforcing authority at home. Serious analysis, sharp updates, and just enough edge to keep things interesting. 

Russia is talking big — but the battlefield, the power grid, and even its own border regions are telling a different story. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down the last 24 hours of developments that show just how wide the gap has become between Moscow’s rhetoric and reality. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov went full mask-off, openly expanding Russia’s war aims beyond Crimea and the Donbas to include Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, and Odesa. At the same time, the Kremlin dismissed ceasefire ideas outright — even as it continues demanding elections in Ukraine. Negotiations, it turns out, are only acceptable if they ratify Russian gains. Anything else? Hard pass. But here’s the twist: while Russia is talking like it’s winning, its battlefield momentum is slowing. Winter has hit hard, and the infantry-heavy tactics Russia relies on don’t love sub-zero temperatures. Territorial gains peaked in December and are now shrinking. No breakthroughs. No collapses. Just a grinding war where the cost per meter keeps rising. We also dig into the winter energy war — and this time, it’s not just Ukraine feeling the pain. Ukraine declared a nationwide energy emergency as Russian missile and drone strikes continue to target power, heat, and water infrastructure during extreme cold. Kyiv is racing to keep civilians warm, stabilize electricity imports, and prevent outages from becoming a humanitarian crisis. At the same time, Ukrainian strikes knocked out power and water in Russia’s Belgorod region, leaving hundreds of thousands of Russians without basic services. Suddenly, the war isn’t something happening “over there” anymore. Inside Ukraine, the pressure is forcing real change. Kyiv reshuffled key ministries, installing a tech-focused defense minister tasked with fixing mobilization, scaling drone production, and cleaning up procurement. Ukrainian officials publicly acknowledged desertion, conscription evasion, and structural weaknesses — an unusually candid look at a country fighting for endurance, not headlines. Meanwhile, a high-profile anti-corruption case involving former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko adds political tension just as ceasefire and election talk resurfaces. Beyond Ukraine, Russia is widening the fight. A major cyberattack nearly triggered a nationwide blackout in Poland, showing how energy infrastructure has become a frontline across NATO. Moscow expelled another British diplomat over espionage claims, while hybrid and cyber operations across Europe continue to evolve — including direct recruitment of operatives via messaging apps and malware delivered through fake charities. We also cover Russia’s internal strain: ballooning sign-on bonuses for contract soldiers, classified presidential decrees, and the steady militarization of universities and youth programs to sustain a long war. On the front lines, the fighting grinds on across multiple axes with drones, glide bombs, and attrition — no dramatic shifts, just relentless pressure. If you want a clear, fast-moving breakdown of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the winter energy campaign, cyber escalation, NATO implications, and what Moscow’s words are really trying to hide, this episode is for you. Cold weather. Hot rhetoric. And a reality Moscow can’t quite spin anymore. 

Step beyond the headlines and official spin to uncover the deeper realities inside Russia and China’s economies. We take a close look at how Moscow and Beijing project power abroad while grappling with fragile foundations at home, from Russia’s unsustainable wartime spending to China’s faltering growth and anxious workforce. We cut through state narratives to reveal the costs of these economies, costs borne not by leaders, but by ordinary citizens facing higher prices and shrinking opportunities. With insights from data, policy shifts, and on-the-ground reports, we trace how these two authoritarian powers strain to maintain control, and how their choices reverberate across global markets, diplomacy, and the lives of millions.

China closes out 2025 with a jaw-dropping trillion-dollar trade surplus, Russia suddenly looks like less of a sure bet, and Washington just flipped the chessboard in Venezuela. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down a dense, fast-moving 24 hours across China, Russia, and the global pressure points connecting them—and yes, it all ties together. We start with the numbers Beijing wants the world to see. Despite renewed U.S. tariffs and nonstop talk of decoupling, China ends the year with exports roaring ahead, pivoting hard toward Africa, Southeast Asia, and Europe. The U.S. market shrinks, China shrugs, and factories keep humming. But underneath the victory lap is a more complicated story: weak domestic demand, overcapacity, and an economy leaning heavily on foreign buyers to stay upright. It’s resilience—but with a stress fracture running through it. Then there’s Russia. For the first time in five years, China–Russia trade actually declines. Chinese car exports fall off a cliff, oil values slide, and the “no limits” partnership starts looking a lot more conditional. We dig into what this says about Beijing’s real priorities, and why sentimentality never survives contact with balance sheets. The biggest geopolitical shockwave? Venezuela. The U.S. ouster of Nicolás Maduro doesn’t just rattle Caracas—it detonates China’s most important Latin American relationship. Billions in Chinese loans, oil access, and long-term influence are suddenly in question. This episode connects that move to Mexico’s tariffs on Chinese EVs, Panama backing away from Belt and Road, and a broader snap-back of U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere. On the tech front, things get spicy. The U.S. approves Nvidia’s advanced H200 AI chips for China… and Beijing quietly blocks them anyway. No press conference, no outrage—just a customs-level chokehold. We explain why this matters for AI competition, military applications, and upcoming U.S.–China diplomacy. Meanwhile, China reminds everyone who still controls the supply chains as rare earth exports quietly hit their highest level in over a decade—even with export controls supposedly in place. Militarily, the build continues. Another massive Type 055 destroyer appears to enter service, Chinese vessels crowd the West Philippine Sea, and NATO warns about China–Russia cooperation in the Arctic. No dramatic announcements—just steady pressure, steel in the water, and friction becoming the norm. We also cover Iran stepping back from joint naval drills under U.S. tariff pressure, China’s internal security crackdown on mapping and drone data, and a sobering reminder that espionage hasn’t gone anywhere, with a former U.S. Navy sailor sentenced to nearly 17 years for selling secrets to China. This episode isn’t about hype—it’s about how power actually moves: quietly, incrementally, and across multiple domains at once. Same chessboard, new moves, higher tempo. If you want a sharp, informed, and entertaining breakdown of China, Russia, global trade, military posture, tech rivalry, and geopolitical pressure points—this one’s for you.

Russia didn’t blink—it leaned in. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down how Moscow is turning winter itself into a weapon, why the drone and missile campaign against Ukraine’s energy grid just hit a new level, and how the war is expanding far beyond the front lines. Over the last 24 hours, Russia launched one of its largest coordinated air attacks of the new year, throwing hundreds of drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities in freezing temperatures. Power outages, heat disruptions, and civilian casualties continue to rise, and the pattern is no longer subtle. This isn’t about battlefield maneuver—it’s about endurance, pressure, and making daily life as difficult as possible. We walk through what’s changed from yesterday, why the strike tempo matters, and how this fits into Russia’s long-running playbook from Grozny to Aleppo—now upgraded for the drone age. We also revisit Russia’s use of the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile near western Ukraine. This isn’t a rerun—it’s an update. The strike wasn’t about damage; it was about signaling. We unpack why Moscow keeps reaching for this system, who the real audience is, and why proximity to NATO borders is doing a lot of the talking here. On the flip side, Ukraine is widening the map. Ukrainian long-range strikes are hitting Russian drone production facilities and power infrastructure inside Russia, forcing Moscow to defend its rear while selling the illusion of control at home. At sea, the shadow fleet story keeps getting stranger and riskier. Tankers linked to Russian energy exports are being struck near key terminals, insurance costs are climbing, and Russia’s naval presence in the Black Sea is shrinking under pressure from Ukrainian unmanned systems. This episode also digs into the broader hybrid battlefield. Russian intelligence activity continues to surface across Europe—from espionage cases to sabotage-style probing of logistics networks—while cyber operations shift toward quieter, more personal tactics using trusted messaging apps. Abroad, Russia blends soft power and coercion through cultural centers staffed by paramilitary-linked personnel, particularly in Africa, blurring the line between diplomacy and influence operations. Globally, alignments are shifting. Iran backs away from joint naval exercises under U.S. economic pressure, while Russia locks in a deeper Arctic partnership with India. At home, both Ukraine and Russia are feeling strain—political friction in Kyiv amid energy shortages, and infrastructure stress plus growing public frustration inside Russia as winter exposes the real costs of war. If you’re tracking Russia, Ukraine, energy warfare, drones, ballistic missiles, hybrid operations, or how modern conflicts sprawl across borders and domains, this episode is for you. Sharp updates, real-world context, and a fast-moving breakdown of how today’s headlines connect to yesterday’s signals—and tomorrow’s risks. Press play. The temperature is dropping, and the pressure is rising.

China is not easing into 2026 — it’s hitting the accelerator, and this episode breaks down exactly how and why. In RH 1.13.26 | China: Kill Lines, Carriers, and Control, we dig into the last 24 hours of developments that show Beijing pressing forward across propaganda, military power, economic leverage, and information warfare, all at the same time. At the center of today’s episode is China’s newest propaganda export: the so-called “American kill line.” What started as online nationalist slang has now been elevated into official, party-approved language used by state media to portray American poverty as irreversible and systemic. This isn’t just trash talk — it’s psychological narrative warfare designed to deflect attention from China’s own slowing economy, rising youth unemployment, and growing domestic anxiety. We break down how fast this message moved from internet meme to ideological doctrine, and why the timing matters. From there, we look at how this external messaging lines up with tightening internal control. Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign is back in full force, hitting senior officials across finance, aviation, state-owned enterprises, and even the military. Confession documentaries, austerity rules, and public discipline signals are all part of the same message: loyalty and obedience are non-negotiable as pressure mounts at home and abroad. The episode also tracks escalating U.S.–China friction across multiple fronts. Trade tensions are creeping back as Washington threatens new tariffs tied to Iran, directly testing China’s role as Tehran’s economic lifeline. Critical minerals move even closer to the center of great-power competition, with rare earths, gallium, aluminum, and bauxite now treated as strategic weapons rather than commodities. We also unpack why Venezuela and the Arctic are suddenly part of the same global chessboard. On the military side, China keeps doing what it does best: adding capability quietly and consistently. New frigates enter service, aircraft carriers deploy for training, and island-building resumes in the South China Sea — not for show, but to complicate targeting and deny options in a Taiwan crisis. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy practices last-ditch missile defense in contested waters, signaling just how seriously the threat environment has changed. Taiwan remains the focal point. We discuss how Taipei is openly signaling its layered defense strategy while facing relentless Chinese military drills, cyber intrusions, and massive disinformation campaigns driven by fake accounts, spoofed media sites, and AI-boosted influence operations. And yes — classic espionage is still very much alive. A former U.S. Navy sailor’s sentencing is a reminder that while cyber grabs headlines, human intelligence collection remains effective, persistent, and dangerous. This episode is fast, focused, and grounded in hard facts — no hype, no filler. If you want to understand how China is synchronizing narrative control, military power, economic leverage, and internal discipline right now, this one’s essential listening.

Russia didn’t slow down—it hit the gas. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down the last 24 hours of escalation, pressure, and quiet maneuvering as Moscow juggles diplomacy, winter warfare, and global influence operations all at once. The headline moment: Russia fired the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile toward western Ukraine, near Lviv. This isn’t just another strike—it’s a rare, nuclear-capable system that Russia almost never uses. The damage on the ground appears limited, but that’s not the point. This was a political signal, a reminder that Moscow still has escalation cards it’s willing to flash when negotiations stall. And stall they have. Behind the scenes, U.S., European, and Ukrainian officials say a peace framework is largely complete, but the Kremlin is dragging its feet, throwing procedural sand in the gears and manufacturing grievances to justify delay. Meanwhile, the real suffering continues to come from Russia’s sustained air and drone campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Over the past two days, Russia launched its most concentrated strike package of the year—ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and massive waves of drones aimed squarely at power grids. Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, and several other regions went dark in freezing temperatures. Thermal power plants already hit multiple times since October took additional damage. This isn’t about battlefield gains—it’s winter warfare, designed to exhaust air defenses, strain repair crews, and make daily life as hard as possible for civilians. But this episode isn’t just about what Russia is doing—it’s also about what’s coming back at them. Ukraine continues to strike energy infrastructure inside Russia, with the Belgorod region experiencing its largest blackout of the war. Hundreds of thousands of Russians lost electricity and heat during subzero weather, and for once, the public reaction inside Russia was loud and angry. When cold and darkness cross the border, the narrative gets harder to control. We also dig into how Russia is adapting economically. Despite Western sanctions, Russian oil continues to flow—especially to India—through discounted pricing, new intermediary exporters, and an expanding “shadow fleet” of tankers. Investigative reporting adds a twist: some of those ships have quietly carried personnel linked to Russian military intelligence and Wagner. It’s oil exports mixed with espionage, wrapped in maritime gray-zone tactics. Ukraine’s recent drone strike on a Russian-linked tanker in the Mediterranean signals that even far from the Black Sea, these operations aren’t risk-free anymore. Across Europe, Russian intelligence activity keeps surfacing—from espionage arrests in Sweden to sophisticated GRU-linked cyber campaigns targeting military, energy, and policy networks. Ideologically, Moscow is also escalating, launching unusually aggressive attacks on religious figures tied to Ukraine’s independence from Russian Orthodoxy. We round out the episode with updates from Russia’s periphery—militarization and quiet resistance in Karelia, Georgia’s slow drift toward Moscow under the banner of “neutrality,” and disturbing reports of abuse and corruption inside Russian military units. Layered over everything is the rising civilian toll of the war, which continues to climb year over year. This episode is about escalation without resolution, pressure without closure, and a Kremlin betting that endurance—someone else’s or its own—will break first. If you want a sharp, fast-moving, and deeply informed breakdown of where Russia is pushing, probing, and posturing right now, this one’s for you.

👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast🔗 https://www.restrictedhandling.com/Get daily intelligence briefs, strategic analysis, and insights from former intelligence officers.Stay ahead of the curve.Iran. Prison. Protest. Power.This is not theory. This is lived experience.In this episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, recorded from the Institute of World Politics (IWP) media studio in Washington, DC, hosts Ryan Fugit (former Army & CIA officer) and Glenn Corn (34-year CIA veteran, multiple-time Chief of Station) sit down with Emad Shargi, an Iranian-American businessman who spent years imprisoned by the Islamic Republic of Iran.Emad Shargi was detained by the IRGC in 2018, held in Evin Prison, and reduced to a number—97010. His story is a powerful case study in Iran’s hostage diplomacy, repression, and the reality inside the regime’s prisons. Today, Emad is a leading voice on Iran’s internal collapse, protest movements, and what may come next.🎙️ In this conversation, we cover:What it’s like to disappear into Iran’s prison systemWhy today’s protests are different from 2009, 2017, and 2019How the IRGC and Basij actually operate on the groundWhether the regime could collapse—and how fast that can happenWhat comes after the Islamic RepublicWhy comparisons to Iraq are wrongThe roles of Russia, China, Turkey, and Israel if Iran destabilizesHow the U.S. can support the Iranian people without backfiringGlenn Corn, now a professor at IWP, adds deep regional and intelligence context drawn from decades in the field, including how authoritarian regimes fall—and why echo chambers are so dangerous.🧠 NOTE:For those interested in connecting with Emad Shargi or learning more about his work and advocacy, please reach out directly through Restricted Handling at 👉 https://www.restrictedhandling.com/This episode is raw, unfiltered, and essential for anyone trying to understand Iran, regime collapse, and what real freedom movements look like up close.⏱️ TIMELINE / CHAPTERS00:00 – Intro & Recording from IWP01:30 – “97010”: Inside Iran’s Prison System05:00 – Why Today’s Protests Are Different08:45 – IRGC, Basij, and Regime Repression13:30 – Could the Regime Collapse—and How Fast?18:45 – Russia, China, and the Exit Options23:30 – What Comes After the Islamic Republic28:30 – How the U.S. Can (and Can’t) Help32:30 – Final Thoughts: Hope, Risk, and Reality🔗 LINKS & REFERENCESGlenn CornInstitute of World Politics – Faculty Profilehttps://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/Great South Bay Consultinghttps://greatsouthbayinc.com/Restricted HandlingSubscribe & Contacthttps://www.restrictedhandling.com/

Russia is dialing things up—and this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast breaks down exactly how and why it matters.In RH 1.12.26 | Russia, we walk through one of the most revealing 24-hour stretches of the war so far, where Moscow blends old-school coercion with new-school technology, while Ukraine and its partners respond with increasingly global reach. If you’re tracking the Russia–Ukraine war, great power competition, drones, missiles, energy warfare, or European security, this episode is squarely in your lane.We start with Russia’s debut of the Geran-5 jet-powered strike drone, a system derived from Iranian interceptor technology that signals a shift toward counter-air and air-defense suppression roles. This isn’t just another Shahed-style terror weapon—it’s part of a broader evolution in how Russia is trying to fight above and beyond the front lines, even as it struggles under sanctions and battlefield losses.From there, we move into Russia’s winter air campaign, which has surged to staggering levels. Hundreds of drones, glide bombs, cruise missiles, and ballistic systems have been launched in a single week, hammering Ukraine’s energy grid during freezing temperatures. Kyiv’s power and heating systems are under extreme stress, and the intent behind the timing is impossible to miss. This is infrastructure warfare with a calendar circled in red.On the flip side, Ukraine is expanding the geography of the war. We dig into Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure in the Caspian Sea, repeated hits on Lukoil platforms, and attacks deep inside Russia itself. The Caspian, once assumed to be a safe rear area, is now firmly on the target list—and that has major implications for Russia’s war financing and internal security assumptions.A major moment in this episode is Britain’s launch of Project Nightfall, a fast-tracked effort to deliver new ballistic missiles to Ukraine within 12 months. This is Europe moving from talk to hardware, and it reshapes how deep-strike capability might look going forward—especially as Ukraine seeks to diversify beyond U.S.-supplied systems.We also cover the grinding reality on the front lines, where Russia continues incremental advances without a breakthrough, leaning heavily on drones and infiltration tactics. At the same time, confirmed losses among Russian generals and elite units continue to mount, eroding experience that can’t be quickly replaced.Finally, we look inside Russia itself—arrests for corruption, foiled sabotage plots, growing admissions that the Russian Navy can’t protect oil tankers, and new reporting suggesting serious health issues for Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. None of this screams confidence or control.The tone is sharp, fast-moving, and informed—serious subject matter, but delivered with energy and clarity. If you want a smart, accessible breakdown of where Russia is pushing, where it’s bleeding, and how the war is expanding technologically and geographically, this episode delivers.Plug in, catch up, and stay ahead.