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.

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast — your daily, high-energy brief on the world’s biggest geopolitical moves. In today’s episode, we’re taking you straight into orbit (literally) as China’s Shenzhou-20 mission runs into serious trouble after a hit from space debris. Beijing’s astronauts are stuck waiting while mission control scrambles to assess the damage, turning China’s dream of flawless space dominance into a high-stakes waiting game. From space junk to political junk — the hits just keep coming.We’ve also got new twists in Xi Jinping’s sweeping military purge. Yesterday we told you about the cleanup inside the People’s Liberation Army — today, the crackdown’s going deeper. The military’s top anti-corruption boss, Zhang Shengmin, is now the new vice chair of the Central Military Commission, putting the disciplinarians in charge of the generals. Meanwhile, General Zhang Youxia is out there warning about “fake loyalty” and “two-faced men.” In plain English? Xi’s running out of people he trusts. The PLA’s now as much about internal control as external readiness — and that paranoia shows.But it’s not all politics — the tech show goes on. China just rolled out its first combat test using “wolf robots” — yes, four-legged robot dogs leading a simulated beach assault on Taiwan. It looks like something out of Black Mirror meets Call of Duty, but with the added charm of being state-funded. Add in a new shape-shifting hypersonic missile prototype, and you’ve got a country flexing its high-tech muscles even as it stumbles over its own space hardware.Trade tensions are simmering, too. Trump’s much-hyped tariff truce with Xi is starting to look shaky — U.S. firms like Matson are still paying millions in port fees while China keeps its 13% tariff on soybeans. “Win-win” cooperation? Not exactly.Meanwhile, Taiwan’s accusing China of breaking its APEC promises, Japan’s shadowing a Chinese spy ship circling its islands, and the Philippines is pushing forward with plans to buy South Korean submarines to keep up with the region’s arms race. Even Australia’s spy chief is warning that foreign interference — read: China — is at record highs.From robot dogs to spy ships, space debris to diplomatic drama, today’s episode captures the full spectrum of China’s power plays — bold on the surface, brittle underneath. Tune in for the full breakdown, sharp analysis, and just the right amount of swagger.The Restricted Handling Podcast — where geopolitics meets adrenaline.

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast, where we break down global flashpoints with the energy of a live-wire briefing and the insight of an intel report. Today’s episode dives into the chaos swirling around Russia’s brutal offensive in Pokrovsk, Ukraine’s deep-strike drone campaign inside Russian territory, and the latest in Putin’s nuclear saber-rattling — all while Europe and its allies tighten the screws on Moscow’s war machine. Russia’s grinding 21-month push to capture Pokrovsk — that key “gateway to Donetsk” — just hit another fever pitch. We’ve got Russian forces clawing through the ruins of the city while Ukrainian troops hold firm and counter from the flanks. Zelensky’s back at the front again, boosting morale and vowing that Pokrovsk will stay Ukrainian. We break down how Russia’s infiltration teams, drone suppression tactics, and staggering manpower losses are shaping one of the bloodiest urban battles of the war — and why the Kremlin can’t afford to lose here politically or militarily. Then, we shift to the skies (and beyond them). Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes are rewriting the rules of modern warfare. Kyiv’s drones have now reached 1,200 kilometers inside Russia, torching the Lukoil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod and the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant in Bashkortostan. Russia’s once-untouchable energy empire is taking direct hits — and it’s forcing Putin’s government to quietly import fuel from Belarus and China. We unpack how these strikes are cutting into Russia’s logistics, shrinking its war budget, and flipping its “energy superpower” narrative on its head. But Putin’s not backing down. He’s showing off his shiny new nuclear arsenal — boasting about the Poseidon underwater drone, the Burevestnik cruise missile, and the launch of the new Khabarovsk nuclear submarine. It’s Cold War cosplay with 21st-century tech, and we break down what these “superweapons” mean (and don’t mean) for real-world deterrence. Spoiler: it’s more about optics than operational readiness. Meanwhile, Europe’s holding the line. Germany’s ramping up Ukraine aid by another €3 billion. EU officials are fast-tracking Kyiv’s membership talks, despite Hungary’s obstruction. And NATO’s dealing with a fresh wave of drone incursions across European airspace — from Berlin to Brussels — in what looks a lot like Russia’s latest round of hybrid warfare. We also spotlight how North Korea’s labor troops are quietly helping Russia rebuild, how Ukraine’s new fixed-term contracts are reshaping its military, and why the war’s now as much about endurance as territory. It’s war, geopolitics, and global maneuvering with zero fluff and full throttle. Listen now to “RH 11.05.25 | Russia: Pokrovsk Burns, Drones Hit Deep, Nukes Flex, Allies Tighten Up.” 

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast — your unfiltered, high-energy global brief straight from the frontlines of geopolitics. In this episode, “RH 11.04.25 | Russia: Pokrovsk Bleeds, Refineries Burn, Nukes Rattle,” we break down one of the most intense 24-hour stretches of the war in Ukraine — and the growing chaos rippling across Moscow, Beijing, and beyond. Buckle up, because today’s rundown feels like the Cold War got a software update. We start in Pokrovsk, the embattled eastern Ukrainian city that’s fast becoming the heart of the war’s next major chapter. Russian troops are grinding forward block by block, but Ukraine’s special forces aren’t giving up an inch without a fight. General Oleksandr Syrskyi says Kyiv’s forces are regaining ground near Dobropillia, forcing Moscow to stretch its exhausted units thinner than a Red Square parade smile. You’ll hear how Russia’s desperate bid for “the gateway to Donetsk” has turned into a high-casualty stalemate that feels straight out of a grim history book — and why it matters strategically. Then it’s drones, drones, and more drones. Ukraine’s long-range strikes are rewriting the rules of modern warfare — hitting the Rosneft Saratov Oil Refinery yet again and sending explosive payback 1,500 kilometers deep into Russia at Bashkortostan’s Sterlitamak petrochemical plant. These attacks aren’t just symbolic; they’re torching Moscow’s fuel supply chain and hammering Russia’s war economy right where it hurts. We’ll unpack how these strikes fit into Kyiv’s growing asymmetric campaign — and why Russia’s now buying fuel from Belarus and being ghosted by Chinese refiners like Sinopec and PetroChina. Speaking of Beijing, Russia’s Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is in China doing his best impression of a salesman with bad numbers, trying to convince Xi Jinping and Li Qiang that trade’s just “temporarily down.” Spoiler: it’s not working. Trade between the two countries is dropping, China’s patience is wearing thin, and that “no limits” friendship is looking more like a one-sided situationship. But it’s not all oil and diplomacy — Putin’s dusting off his nuclear toys. We cover the latest Russian tests of the Burevestnik and Poseidon systems, Trump’s matching order for U.S. nuclear test readiness, and what this new round of saber-rattling says about global security in 2025. Add in spy arrests in Latvia and Kansas, mysterious drone sightings over NATO airbases, and a Russian-Venezuelan defense bromance in the Caribbean, and you’ve got one wild episode. If you want global conflict without the fluff — part intelligence brief, part adrenaline shot — this one’s for you. 

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast — your daily injection of high-stakes geopolitics, cutting-edge warfare, and a little unapologetic attitude. In this episode, we’re zeroing in on Russia’s chaotic 24 hours that look like a mashup of Cold War nostalgia, modern tech warfare, and a dash of geopolitical desperation. Russia’s military is grinding forward in its brutal assault on Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian city known as “the gateway to Donetsk.” The Kremlin’s forces are going full Soviet mode — human-wave attacks, scorched-earth tactics, and sky-high casualty rates. Ukraine’s not backing down either; they’ve deployed special operations forces to hold the line in what’s becoming one of the most intense urban battles since Avdiivka. Hostile infiltrations, drone ambushes, and artillery duels are lighting up the eastern front, and we break down who’s moving where, which units are getting wrecked, and why Pokrovsk could decide the next phase of the war. Meanwhile, Russia’s firing off 1,500 drones and 70+ missiles in a week-long blitz aimed at crushing Ukraine’s power grid — leaving millions without electricity as winter rolls in. We unpack how this fits into Moscow’s long-running “freeze them out” strategy and what it says about their shifting priorities heading into the cold season. But Ukraine’s not taking that lying down. Their drone warfare campaign is torching Russia’s oil infrastructure — from the massive Tuapse oil terminal on the Black Sea to the Saratov refinery deep inside Russian territory. With refinery output dropping and fuel shortages spreading to 57 regions, the so-called energy superpower is starting to look more like a super dumpster fire. And while Russia’s oil burns, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is in China trying to keep the lights on — literally. His trip to meet Xi Jinping and Li Qiang highlights just how dependent Moscow’s become on Beijing for trade, tech, and political cover. We dig into what that means for Russia’s long-term survival and why even China’s patience with the Kremlin might be wearing thin. Also on deck: NATO’s air defense upgrades, mystery drones flying over Belgium’s nuclear-linked air base, and Ukraine’s sci-fi–level “Army of Drones Bonus System” that gamifies combat and turns battlefield kills into leaderboard points. It’s innovation, desperation, and digital warfare all rolled into one. If you want the sharpest, smartest, and slightly irreverent take on global power plays — this episode delivers. Listen to RH 11.03.25 | Russia: Pokrovsk Siege, Drone Wars, Power Strikes, and Beijing Backup — where strategy meets attitude. 

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast — your daily injection of high-stakes geopolitics, cutting-edge warfare, and a little unapologetic attitude. In this episode, we’re zeroing in on Russia’s chaotic 24 hours that look like a mashup of Cold War nostalgia, modern tech warfare, and a dash of geopolitical desperation. Russia’s military is grinding forward in its brutal assault on Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian city known as “the gateway to Donetsk.” The Kremlin’s forces are going full Soviet mode — human-wave attacks, scorched-earth tactics, and sky-high casualty rates. Ukraine’s not backing down either; they’ve deployed special operations forces to hold the line in what’s becoming one of the most intense urban battles since Avdiivka. Hostile infiltrations, drone ambushes, and artillery duels are lighting up the eastern front, and we break down who’s moving where, which units are getting wrecked, and why Pokrovsk could decide the next phase of the war. Meanwhile, Russia’s firing off 1,500 drones and 70+ missiles in a week-long blitz aimed at crushing Ukraine’s power grid — leaving millions without electricity as winter rolls in. We unpack how this fits into Moscow’s long-running “freeze them out” strategy and what it says about their shifting priorities heading into the cold season. But Ukraine’s not taking that lying down. Their drone warfare campaign is torching Russia’s oil infrastructure — from the massive Tuapse oil terminal on the Black Sea to the Saratov refinery deep inside Russian territory. With refinery output dropping and fuel shortages spreading to 57 regions, the so-called energy superpower is starting to look more like a super dumpster fire. And while Russia’s oil burns, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is in China trying to keep the lights on — literally. His trip to meet Xi Jinping and Li Qiang highlights just how dependent Moscow’s become on Beijing for trade, tech, and political cover. We dig into what that means for Russia’s long-term survival and why even China’s patience with the Kremlin might be wearing thin. Also on deck: NATO’s air defense upgrades, mystery drones flying over Belgium’s nuclear-linked air base, and Ukraine’s sci-fi–level “Army of Drones Bonus System” that gamifies combat and turns battlefield kills into leaderboard points. It’s innovation, desperation, and digital warfare all rolled into one. If you want the sharpest, smartest, and slightly irreverent take on global power plays — this episode delivers. Listen to RH 11.03.25 | Russia: Pokrovsk Siege, Drone Wars, Power Strikes, and Beijing Backup — where strategy meets attitude. 

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast — the only daily brief that fuses national security grit with the punch and energy of a live-wire talk show. In this episode, we’re diving straight into the chaos of the last 24 hours inside China’s orbit — from trade truces and fighter jet delays to island-building, espionage paranoia, and a joke from Xi Jinping that somehow involves a backdoor and two smartphones. Yeah, it’s that kind of day. The headline act: Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have hit “pause” on their economic slugfest. The U.S.–China trade war takes a breather after a high-stakes summit in Busan. Tariffs drop, soybeans start flowing, and both sides are calling it a win. But beneath the smiles, this is less a peace deal and more like two boxers catching their breath between rounds. China’s still holding the rare earths cards — the minerals that make our smartphones, EVs, and missiles tick — and Washington’s still watching its back. Then we go inside China’s power structure, where Xi Jinping is swinging the political axe again. The latest round of purges inside the People’s Liberation Army isn’t just about corruption — it’s about loyalty. Top generals are out, ideological purity is in, and the message is clear: in Xi’s China, the Party commands the gun, and no one else gets to touch the trigger. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s still waiting on those shiny new F-16Vs. Supply chain snags and factory shifts have delayed deliveries — not exactly what you want when Beijing’s military is rehearsing invasion scenarios across the Strait. But hey, at least the HIMARS rocket systems are arriving early. In the South China Sea, Vietnam’s building islands faster than China can glare at them, the Philippines is signing new defense pacts with Canada and others, and Australia’s calling out Chinese surveillance ships that can’t seem to mind their own business. It’s a full-on maritime chess match — and the board’s getting crowded. And just when you think Beijing couldn’t tighten control any further, the Ministry of State Security rolls out a campaign claiming foreign spies are stealing crop seeds. Yes, seeds. China’s now framing food as the new front in espionage. Add to that Xi gifting phones and joking about spying, and you’ve got the weirdest blend of paranoia and propaganda since the Cold War. This episode’s got it all — trade, troops, tech, and a touch of espionage theater. Tune in for an unfiltered look at the moves shaping global power in real time. 

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.

Tensions, truce, and tech warfare — all in one explosive episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast. In “RH 10.31.25 | China Truce, Nukes, Cyber Spies & Taiwan Tension,” we break down the biggest global power plays in the last 24 hours — and trust us, the drama’s better than any streaming thriller. President Trump’s “twelve out of ten” meeting with Xi Jinping in Busan turned out to be less of a peace deal and more of a one-year ceasefire. We unpack the details: tariffs are dropping from 20% to 10% on key Chinese goods, and China’s promising a flood of soybeans and a temporary thaw in its rare-earth chokehold. But the real story? Beijing got Washington to pause its national security export bans — something no Chinese negotiator has ever pulled off. That’s not détente; that’s a tactical win. Meanwhile, Xi’s working the world stage like it’s his red carpet moment at the APEC summit, meeting Japan’s new hardline prime minister and Canada’s Mark Carney while Trump jets home for a Halloween photo op. It’s global theater with massive economic stakes — and everyone’s wondering if the “one-year truce” is just Act I of a much longer game. We dive into China’s faltering economy — seven straight months of factory contraction, export orders in freefall, and a government now begging its citizens to spend their savings to keep GDP afloat. Trump’s global tariff blitz keeps ricocheting through allies from Canada to India, while Beijing counters by building new alliances in Riyadh, Southeast Asia, and even Ottawa’s backyard. The Saudi naval exercise “Blue Sword-2025”? Yeah, that’s not just a workout — it’s Beijing flexing global muscle where Washington used to dominate. And then there’s the nuclear curveball: Trump just ordered an immediate restart of U.S. nuclear weapons testing — the first since 1992. Russia and China aren’t thrilled, and global arms control just got thrown into chaos. Plus, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth inks a decade-long defense deal with India, Malaysia calls China’s “gray zone” ship tactics a “clear provocation,” and Taiwan’s pilots keep scrambling as Chinese aircraft cross the median line daily. F-16 delays, PLA intimidation, and information warfare — it’s all part of Beijing’s psychological game plan. We also uncover Beijing’s growing cyber footprint — from Chinese hackers breaching European diplomatic networks to “Typhoon” cyber units embedding themselves inside U.S. critical infrastructure. Add in China’s new influencer law, Myanmar’s deepening police partnership, and British warnings about Chinese espionage in academia — and you’ve got a global influence campaign playing out in real time. If you want the sharpest, fastest, and most unfiltered brief on how China, the U.S., and their allies are shaping tomorrow’s world — this episode is your must-listen. Power politics, tech warfare, and nuclear brinkmanship — all before breakfast. Subscribe now to The Restricted Handling Podcast — where the headlines hit harder, the intel’s deeper, and the energy stays high. 

It’s Halloween, and Moscow’s wearing its favorite costume: nuclear superpower with a side of chaos. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we dive headfirst into the madness of October 31st, 2025 — a day packed with missile launches, espionage twists, and geopolitical standoffs straight out of a Cold War reboot. President Trump has just announced that the United States is bringing back nuclear weapons testing for the first time since 1992, following Vladimir Putin’s chest-thumping over Russia’s new “superweapons” — the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile and the Poseidon underwater nuke drone. The Kremlin insists it’s all “routine,” but everyone else is sweating bullets. Meanwhile, Trump’s “on an equal basis” testing order is setting off global alarm bells and kicking the arms race into high gear. But that’s just the start. We break down the collapse of the planned Trump–Putin Budapest summit, where Moscow demanded Ukraine surrender more territory and give up on NATO entirely — a deal Washington quickly torpedoed. As diplomatic drama unfolded, Russia launched over 700 missiles and drones in a single night, hammering Ukraine’s power grid and pushing the war into a new phase. Ukraine’s defenses managed to down 600+ of them, but several still slammed energy sites across Kyiv, Lviv, and Zaporizhzhia. Even Poland scrambled fighters as drones edged toward NATO airspace. On the front lines, Pokrovsk is on fire — literally. Russian troops have forced their way deeper into the city, disguising themselves as civilians and flooding the area with drones, while Ukrainian forces fight building to building. Both sides are bogged down in brutal street warfare that’s turning the city into a symbol of resistance — and exhaustion. Inside Russia, the rot is spreading. Reports confirm that Russian commanders are executing their own troops for refusing suicidal assaults. The Kremlin is papering over the cracks with new reservist laws, youth militarization, and volunteer militias near the Finnish border. It’s repression meets desperation, and Putin’s regime looks more paranoid than powerful. We also unpack Moscow’s spy games — from a British ex-soldier caught passing intel to the FSB to Russian agents busted in Germany — plus Russia’s recruitment of Balkan mercenaries via shady Telegram channels. And just when you think the Kremlin’s stretched too thin, it resumes military flights to Syria, desperate to keep its Mediterranean foothold alive. It’s nukes, drones, spies, and chaos — a front-row seat to the world’s most dangerous soap opera. Tune in to RH 10.31.25 | Russia: Nukes, Drones, Spies & Chaos for your unfiltered, unclassified look at the madness behind the headlines. 

In this high-voltage episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we dive headfirst into Russia’s latest parade of power plays, propaganda, and panic buttons. Vladimir Putin is once again flexing like it’s the Cold War reboot — and this time, he’s brought his new favorite toy: the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone. Yeah, that’s right — a nuclear torpedo designed to trigger a radioactive tsunami. If that sounds like a supervillain plot, it’s because it basically is. Putin’s calling it “a weapon with no equal.” The rest of the world’s calling it “a really bad idea.”Meanwhile, over in Washington, President Trump isn’t letting Putin have the spotlight to himself. Just days after publicly scolding the Russian leader to “end the war and stop testing missiles,” Trump dropped a bombshell of his own — announcing the first U.S. nuclear weapons tests since 1992. He says it’s about keeping up with Russia and China; critics say it’s like poking a bear that’s already foaming at the mouth. Either way, the arms race vibes are back, baby.On the ground in Ukraine, Pokrovsk is hell on earth. Russian forces have pushed into the city after nearly a year of fighting, and street battles are raging in the rubble. Ukrainian commanders report Russian infiltration teams disguised as civilians, turning neighborhoods into chaotic war zones. The weather’s grounding drones, but not the bloodshed. Putin’s betting everything on turning Pokrovsk into a victory he can sell back home — even as his troops are being chewed up in the process.And while Russia’s firing off nukes and nostalgia, the U.S. is quietly pulling troops out of Romania. The Pentagon insists it’s just “force balancing,” but NATO allies aren’t exactly reassured. The timing — right as Russia is waving around its nuclear arsenal — feels… let’s just say “unhelpful.”Inside Russia, the crackdown continues. Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin is reviving Stalin-lite rhetoric, declaring “if there is Putin, there is Russia.” The Central Bank’s independence? Gone. The army’s discipline? Replaced with fear. Reports are pouring in of cadets trapped in academies and officers executing their own soldiers for refusing suicidal orders. It’s a grim look at a military — and a regime — eating itself alive.We’re also tracking the U.S. lifting sanctions on Moscow’s Balkan buddy Milorad Dodik, India’s quiet retreat from its Central Asian base under Russian and Chinese pressure, and Lebanon’s scramble to disarm Hezbollah before the next regional explosion.It’s nuclear chest-thumping, trench warfare, and geopolitical juggling all in one place. Tune in for RH 10.30.25 — because in Putin’s world, the Cold War never ended… it just got a Wi-Fi upgrade.

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast, your daily high-octane brief for the national security crowd — where geopolitics meets adrenaline. Today’s episode, “RH 10.30.25 | China: Trump-Xi Truce, Chip Wars, PLA Purge, and Taiwan Heat,” dives straight into one of the most dramatic 24 hours in U.S.-China relations this year.President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping finally sat down in Busan, South Korea, for what was billed as the summit that could “reset globalization.” Instead, we got a fragile handshake truce: tariffs down ten points, rare earth curbs delayed for a year, and promises of big soybean and energy buys that may or may not materialize. The deal? More a timeout than a turning point.We unpack the details of the Trump-Xi trade agreement — the numbers, the loopholes, and the optics. Why is Beijing playing it cool? What’s the real value of that one-year grace period on rare earth exports? And what’s with Trump calling the meeting “a twelve out of ten”? We’re cutting through the noise to tell you what actually matters for Washington, Wall Street, and the world.Then we pivot to the tech war, where the star of the show — Nvidia’s “Blackwell” AI chip — somehow didn’t make it into the conversation. Trump teased it, the markets reacted, and then he said, “We’re not talking about Blackwell.” We’ll break down why that decision might be the smartest (or dumbest) non-move of the week.Meanwhile in Beijing, the plot thickens. The “Purge Plenum” continues to rattle China’s military, with nearly two-thirds of the People’s Liberation Army’s Central Committee missing in action. Xi promoted his top anti-corruption enforcer to vice chair of the Central Military Commission — a power play that screams control, not confidence. Combine that with the PLA’s own public “self-critique” about “deficiencies” in combat readiness, and you’ve got a leadership struggling to keep its boots on the ground.And don’t miss the Taiwan update — from Beijing’s legal intimidation campaign against an elected lawmaker to China’s propaganda victory lap over delayed F-16 fighter deliveries. Plus, we zoom out to Europe and South Korea, where allies are recalibrating fast as the great-power rivalry keeps shifting under their feet.It’s fast, sharp, and impossible to ignore — today’s Restricted Handling rundown on China’s truce, tech, turmoil, and tension.Tune in, subscribe, and share. This is not your average foreign policy podcast — this is Restricted Handling.

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.

It’s the day before the biggest geopolitical handshake of 2025, and we’re breaking down everything that’s gone down in the 24 hours leading up to the Trump–Xi summit in Busan. On today’s episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we’re diving headfirst into the drama, the deals, and the double-dealing—because when the world’s two biggest powers sit down for a “truce,” you know there’s a whole lot more going on behind the curtain. First up, we’ve got the U.S.–China trade “framework” that’s still wobbling its way toward a deal. President Trump’s team is promising tariff cuts in exchange for Beijing cracking down on fentanyl precursors, while Xi’s crew is dangling a one-year pause on rare-earth export restrictions—the same minerals that power everything from F-35s to iPhones. It’s being sold as cooperation, but make no mistake: this is transactional diplomacy at its finest. And markets? They’re eating it up. Stocks are climbing, oil’s up, gold’s cooling, and everyone’s pretending this is fine. But while the trade negotiators are smoothing things over, Beijing’s military looks like it’s imploding. Xi Jinping’s latest purge makes Game of Thrones look tame—nine generals gone, one-third of his top brass missing from the Fourth Plenum, and his new enforcer, Zhang Shengmin, elevated to vice chair of the Central Military Commission. We’ll unpack how this “clean-up” is actually a sign of serious instability inside the People’s Liberation Army, especially in the Taiwan-facing Eastern Theater Command. Meanwhile, across the Pacific, the U.S. is locking in its alliance game. The Typhon missile systems in the Philippines are now a permanent fixture, Japan’s turning civilian airports into war-ready refueling hubs, and U.S.–India joint anti-submarine drills near Diego Garcia are showing off that “Indo-Pacific unity” everyone keeps talking about. China’s trying to save face with some friendly naval visits to Singapore and Cambodia, but it’s pretty clear who’s got the momentum right now. We’ll also hit the tech and cyber front, where the FCC just tightened restrictions on Huawei and ZTE, Nvidia’s threading the needle between patriotism and profit, and Shanghai just launched the world’s first wind-powered undersea data center—because nothing says “peaceful innovation” like building your own ocean fortress of data. And to top it off? A spy confession in L.A., a collapsed trial in London, and Trump doing what he does best—delivering a bravado-filled speech on an aircraft carrier, taking a swipe at China’s navy while the cameras roll. From tariffs to tech wars, espionage to AI, this episode has it all. Tune in now—because when Trump and Xi shake hands tomorrow, you’ll already know what’s really behind the smile. 

The Kremlin’s having a week — and not in the good way. In this latest episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we’re breaking down Russia’s wild 24-hour news cycle of nuclear showboating, sanctions pain, drone warfare, and economic denial so intense it could qualify as an Olympic sport. We kick things off with the Burevestnik — yes, Putin’s “flying Chernobyl” is back in the headlines. This nuclear-powered cruise missile is supposedly capable of flying halfway around the world, but experts say it’s more “glow stick” than “game changer.” Still, Putin’s parading it as proof that Russia’s still got Cold War swagger, even as his troops slog through the mud in Donetsk. It’s geopolitical cosplay at its finest. Then we dive into the real shockwaves: sanctions. The U.S. just turned the screws on Rosneft and Lukoil, and the fallout’s immediate. Lukoil’s fire sale is turning into a bonfire, India’s cutting back on oil imports, and China’s quietly backing off. The ruble’s dropping, Moscow’s oil money is drying up, and even state propagandists can’t spin this one into a “strategic realignment.” Putin calls it “unfriendly,” but the truth is, his economy’s bleeding faster than his army’s morale. On the ground in Ukraine, Pokrovsk remains hell on earth. Russia claims it’s closing the noose; Ukrainian footage says otherwise. The city’s become a drone battleground, with both sides launching swarms like it’s a dystopian version of Top Gun. Weather’s playing spoiler, with fog grounding Russian drones — proving even Mother Nature’s not on Moscow’s side. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s hitting back hard. Three nights of drone attacks have forced Moscow to shut down airports again, while strikes on oil refineries are burning deep holes in Russia’s war chest. Zelensky’s not just fighting; he’s industrializing. With Sweden, Ukraine’s gearing up to build its own Gripen fighter jets and start exporting weapons by next month. Ninety-five percent of its long-range strikes are now homegrown — not bad for a country under siege. Inside Russia, repression’s ramping up. Year-round conscription’s official, treason trials are spiking, and the FSB’s digital goon squad is in overdrive. And beyond the battlefield, China’s still playing puppet master — keeping the war going just long enough to keep America distracted from the Pacific. It’s nukes, sanctions, drones, and denial — all in one 1,000-megaton episode of global chaos. Tune in, turn it up, and get briefed — fast, sharp, and with just enough sarcasm to make geopolitics actually entertaining.

The Restricted Handling Podcast is back, and today’s episode is packed tighter than a Beijing bullet train at rush hour. We’re diving deep into the fast-moving storm around China — from power plays and purges to AI-driven warfare and a diplomatic showdown that could reset global trade. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are heading into their Seoul summit with the fate of the global economy, rare earth supply chains, and the U.S.-China rivalry all hanging in the balance. Before boarding Air Force One, Trump inked a major rare earth minerals deal with Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, calling it the start of a “new golden age” between Washington and Tokyo. It’s flashy, symbolic, and strategic — a direct challenge to Beijing’s control over the world’s most critical resources. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping’s government is cleaning house — aggressively. The Chinese Communist Party’s Fourth Plenum just revealed a purge straight out of a Cold War thriller: missing generals, vanishing bureaucrats, and empty chairs where power players used to sit. Over 22 top officers from China’s Rocket Force have been removed, and Xi’s loyal enforcer Zhang Shengmin is now the second most powerful man in the military. The message is clear: absolute loyalty or absolute disappearance. We also break down China’s AI militarization revolution, where the PLA’s DeepSeek system — a next-gen AI model — is being fused into battlefield command, autonomous vehicles, and even robot dogs that scout and clear explosives. Think Black Mirror meets Red Alert. Beijing says human commanders are “still in charge,” but when your AI can simulate 10,000 battle scenarios in under a minute, you have to wonder who’s really calling the shots. On the diplomatic front, China’s Premier Li Qiang is busy signing an upgraded free trade pact with ASEAN nations while warning against “external interference” — a polite jab at Washington’s presence in Asia. Over in London, the UK’s espionage drama continues as a Chinese spy case collapses, and in Zambia, a massive toxic spill from a Chinese mine exposes Beijing’s darker side of global expansion. We’ve got it all this week: trade truces, tech wars, AI arms races, environmental scandals, and the biggest U.S.-China faceoff since Trump’s first term. If you care about geopolitics, global security, or just like your foreign policy with a bit of attitude — this episode’s for you. 

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast, where geopolitics meets straight talk. In today’s episode — “RH 10.28.25 | Russia: Nukes, Sanctions, Drones & Desperation” — we break down the wildest 24 hours yet in Putin’s latest act of global brinkmanship. This one’s got it all: nuclear flexing, collapsing oil deals, battlefield chaos, digital spies, and a healthy dose of Kremlin-level denial. Russia’s dusting off its Cold War cosplay again, parading the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile — or as we like to call it, the Flying Chernobyl. Putin claims it flew for 14,000 kilometers in 15 hours, while his generals beam like proud parents at a science fair. But let’s be honest — a radioactive boomerang isn’t exactly the flex he thinks it is. President Trump isn’t buying it either, telling Putin to “end the war instead of testing missiles,” while casually reminding everyone that U.S. nuclear subs are parked just off Russia’s coast. It’s diplomacy, 2025 style: a mix of swagger, sarcasm, and submarine deterrence. Meanwhile, sanctions just got real. The Trump administration hit Russia’s oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil with crippling restrictions, and the effects were immediate. India and China froze imports, Lukoil announced it’s selling off international assets, and the Kremlin started sweating bullets under its fur hat. Putin called the move “unfriendly,” but the numbers don’t lie — Moscow could lose over $7 billion a month in oil revenue. Europe’s energy politics are now in the blender, with Germany given six months to clean up Rosneft’s mess and Hungary’s Viktor Orban racing to Washington to plead his case. On the ground, Ukraine’s holding firm and hitting harder. Drones slammed into Russia’s Belgorod reservoir dam, flooding trenches and cutting supply lines. Inside Pokrovsk, small Russian teams are trying to infiltrate through basements and rubble while Ukrainian troops fight block by block. Moscow’s propaganda calls it an “encirclement.” Reality says it’s a mess. Beyond the frontlines, the hybrid war is spilling across Europe. Lithuania’s shooting down Belarusian balloons. Poland’s busting spies. Germany’s exposing Russian Telegram recruitment networks. It’s digital espionage meets discount sabotage — the kind of low-cost chaos that’s become Moscow’s specialty. In Asia, Japan’s scrambling jets after Russian bombers buzz the coastline, and Tokyo’s new defense minister just dropped the big hint: nuclear-powered subs might be back on the table. This episode packs everything — nuclear theatrics, energy warfare, cyber infiltration, and Putin’s growing panic behind the propaganda. If you want to understand how Russia’s desperation is reshaping the global chessboard, this is your briefing. 

Get ready for one of the most jam-packed episodes yet — RH 10.27.25 | China: Tariff Truce, AI Warbots, and Xi’s Power Play. In this edition of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we dive headfirst into a wild 24 hours inside the world’s most strategically ambitious superpower. From Beijing’s backroom deals to battlefield AI, this one’s loaded with energy, intrigue, and a touch of chaos.We start with the week’s headline: the U.S. and China have hit “pause” on their economic slugfest. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng hammered out a framework deal that puts Trump’s threatened 100% tariffs on ice. That alone would be huge — but toss in a deferral on China’s rare earth export curbs and the long-awaited TikTok divestment deal, and suddenly the chessboard looks different. Trump’s already claiming victory mid-flight to South Korea, while Xi’s keeping his poker face. The markets? Loving it. Currencies up, dollar down, global sigh of relief… for now.But here’s where it gets spicy. Behind the diplomatic smiles, Xi Jinping’s been stockpiling like it’s the apocalypse. Oil, gas, soybeans, metals — you name it, China’s hoarding it. Its crude reserves have tripled in size since February, and the Dongjiakou facility alone now holds 24 million barrels. They’re buying sanctioned oil from Russia and Iran, snapping up copper mines in Chile, nickel plants in Indonesia, and grain from Brazil. Beijing’s not just preparing for trade turbulence — it’s building a war-proof economy.Then we zoom into the power plays inside China’s elite. Xi’s purged nine generals this month in what one exiled journalist calls a “wartime reorganization.” Think of it as a military loyalty reboot. Commanders from the Rocket Force and Navy are out, replaced by political loyalists who’ll follow Xi’s orders without question. It’s not corruption cleanup — it’s obedience conditioning. The kind of purge that screams “readiness,” not reform.And that’s before we even touch on DeepSeek — the AI platform now powering China’s military. We’re talking robot dogs, AI-guided drone swarms, autonomous command systems — all running on Huawei chips. DeepSeek’s reportedly analyzing 10,000 battle scenarios in under a minute. It’s not sci-fi; it’s military-industrial reality. Pair that with predictive policing and full-spectrum surveillance, and you get a glimpse of China’s “intelligentized warfare” strategy — an algorithmic army built for the next era of conflict.We also hit the global side hustle: Beijing just wrapped Blue Sword-4, a joint naval exercise with Saudi Arabia in Jubail. Combat drills, mine clearance, counter-drone ops — all part of China’s growing military footprint in the Gulf. Meanwhile, Trump’s making his own moves in Southeast Asia, locking down trade deals in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam to counter Beijing’s grip. And just when tensions seemed to cool, China offered humanitarian help after two U.S. Navy aircraft crashed in the South China Sea — a rare soft touch in an otherwise hard-nosed week.This episode has it all — diplomacy, deception, digital warfare, and a dash of drama. Tune in to RH 10.27.25 | China and get the unfiltered rundown on how Beijing’s playing the long game — one barrel, one algorithm, and one purge at a time.

Strap in — this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast is one you’re going to want to hear. It’s October 27th, 2025, and Russia just decided to remind the world that it’s still trying to cosplay the Soviet Union. We’re breaking down Putin’s latest nuclear stunt, Trump’s sanctions bombshell, Ukraine’s drone warfare revolution, and how all of it ties together into what’s fast becoming the most dangerous geopolitical winter in years. In this episode, we dig into Vladimir Putin’s chest-thumping debut of the Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered cruise missile that’s part science fiction and part safety hazard. Putin claims it can fly forever and strike anywhere — experts call it a “flying Chernobyl.” We get into the bizarre optics of Putin donning a military uniform, bragging about his “nuclear shield,” and warning of “overwhelming retaliation,” all while Russia’s economy quietly sputters under sanctions and its defense industry runs out of gas (literally). Meanwhile in Washington, President Trump drops the hammer on Russia’s two biggest oil giants — Rosneft and Lukoil — in what analysts say is the most consequential sanctions move of his second term. Oil prices spike six percent, India and China pause purchases, and the Kremlin starts sweating. But in true Cold War déjà vu fashion, China steps up with a backdoor energy route, helping Russia move liquefied gas through Beihai like nothing happened. It’s sanctions chess at its finest, and Beijing’s playing for both sides. Then there’s Ukraine — the underdog that just won’t quit. The country’s drone war has evolved from garage-built prototypes to billion-dollar mass production. We tell the wild story of Fire Point, the drone company that started as a film casting agency and now manufactures long-range, low-cost kamikaze drones taking out Russian oil refineries. Think less “startup pitch” and more “Skynet with a GoFundMe.” But Russia’s hitting back hard. Massive drone swarms are pounding Ukraine’s grid, aiming to freeze the country into submission. We’ll unpack how these attacks threaten to plunge Ukraine into a “dark winter,” with rolling blackouts and targeted strikes on heating infrastructure. We also cover the quiet moves that don’t make headlines — like Russia turning an old Baltic ferry wreck into an underwater spy base, sabotage fires spreading across its own cities, and North Korea’s foreign minister arriving in Moscow for a mysterious visit just as Trump heads to South Korea. It’s all part of a global chessboard that’s getting tighter and meaner by the day. If you want an unfiltered, high-energy breakdown of how nukes, sanctions, drones, and old-school espionage are shaping the next phase of this war, this episode is it. 

📩 Subscribe for Daily Intel -> PDB-Style for FREE at ⁠⁠restrictedhandling.com⁠⁠. Stay ahead of the world’s most critical flashpoints with the Restricted Handling Daily Intelligence Brief — a PDB-style summary covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and the Middle East. You’ll also get two companion daily podcasts focused exclusively on Russia and China.🎙️ “Drones, Russia, and the Future of Warfare — with CW5 (Ret.) Joey Gagnard, Glenn Corn (Former CIA), and Ryan Fugit | Restricted Handling Podcast”The future of warfare is already here.In this episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, former CIA Senior Intelligence Service Case Officer Glenn Corn and former Army Aviator and CIA officer Ryan Fugit, are joined by and U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 (Ret.) Joey Gagnard, who spent years at the tip of the spear in USASOC, to pull back the curtain on how drones, AI, and global geopolitics are reshaping the modern battlefield, from Ukraine’s front lines to America’s homeland defense.Joey is an expert on drones, from his time in uniform to his new path since retiring. He's visited Ukraine with Glenn and they've seen the changing battlespace firsthand.🛰️ What You’ll Hear🚀 Inside the Drone Revolution: How unmanned systems and FPVs are rewriting the rules of combat in Ukraine and beyond.💥 Russia & Ukraine Updates: Sanctions, cyber warfare, and why 2025 could redefine global power.🧠 AI Meets the Battlefield: How machine learning is changing targeting, surveillance, and counter-drone defense.⚙️ Critical Infrastructure Under Fire: Why the next attacks might target grids, ports, and pipelines — not soldiers.🌍 The Global Drone Race: How China, Iran, and Turkey are shaping the future of unmanned weapons.💡 The Good Side of Drones: From precision agriculture to emergency response — where civilian innovation meets military tech.🧩 Featured Guests🎖️ Joey GagnardChief Warrant Officer 5 (Ret.), U.S. ArmyJoey Gagnard concluded nearly three decades of distinguished service in the U.S. military, retiring from the special operations community in early 2025. His career included leadership roles across the Middle East and other operational theaters, where he helped pioneer advanced UAV and defense technologies.A graduate of multiple intelligence and executive leadership programs, Joey now leads strategic innovation initiatives in the defense sector.🔗 Find Joey at https://www.atlasprojects.org/https://www.thecipherbrief.com/ukraine-drones-russia-china🕵️‍♂️ Glenn CornFormer Senior CIA Operations Officer, Member of the Senior Executive Service, and Adjunct Professor of Russian/Soviet StudiesWith 34 years across the CIA, Defense, and State Department, Glenn Corn served as the U.S. President’s senior representative for intelligence and security issues, including 17+ years overseas in critical national security roles.Today, he advises on global intelligence, risk, and strategic security challenges while teaching at the Institute of World Politics.🔗 Find Glenn at https://greatsouthbayinc.com/🎧 Ryan FugitHost | Former Army Aviator & CIA OfficerRyan founded Restricted Handling to bridge the gap between national security professionals and the public conversation on global stability and defense innovation.⚡ Episode HighlightsThe truth about loitering munitions, kamikaze drones, and swarm warfareHow rare earth minerals and supply chains could decide the next major conflictWhy AI-driven avatars and cyber ops are redefining modern influence campaignsLessons from Operation Spiderweb and the new era of energy warfareWhat the U.S. and NATO must learn from Ukraine before it’s too late🔗 Learn MoreExplore this episode’s topics in depth:📘 https://www.restrictedhandling.com/drones🕸️ https://www.restrictedhandling.com/spiderweb📘 https://www.restrictedhandling.com/drones🕸️ https://www.restrictedhandling.com/spiderweb