The Restricted Handling Podcast

Strap in—today’s episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast takes you straight into the heart of Beijing’s latest power plays, military theatrics, and regional chess moves. The pace isn’t slowing down; it’s accelerating. We’re talking aircraft carriers, nuclear posturing, tech espionage, and a deadly Hong Kong fire that’s testing Beijing’s grip just as much as its image. We kick off with China’s latest warning shot—literally and figuratively—toward Japan. The People’s Liberation Army wrapped up five days of intense naval and air drills in the Bohai Strait and Yellow Sea, featuring the brand-new Fujian aircraft carrier in its first at-sea training. The symbolism? Crystal clear. The Fujian is Beijing’s statement piece: “We’re here, we’re modern, and we’re ready.” Add in the Sichuan, a next-generation amphibious assault ship built for far-sea operations, and you’ve got a Navy that’s no longer playing defense. Japan’s missile deployments near Taiwan have officially entered the crosshairs, and China’s rhetoric is getting sharper by the hour. Then it’s nukes. Beijing’s new white paper lays bare an ambitious modernization of its nuclear forces—launch-on-warning systems, hardened silos, and mobile launchers designed for survivability. It’s the “no-first-use” policy with a side of plausible deniability. And while Beijing denounces Washington’s “Golden Dome” missile defense plans as destabilizing, it’s building its own counter-systems at warp speed. The world’s watching, and the arms race is looking more digital, orbital, and immediate than ever. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te isn’t blinking. He’s appointed U.S.-educated strategist Dr. Hsu Szu-chien as vice defense minister to push through a $40 billion defense reform. Think AI-driven command grids, drone fleets, and domestic missile production. Add President Trump’s deliberate silence after his latest call with Xi, and you’ve got a game of poker where no one’s folding—just raising. We also take you through Southeast Asia, where Thailand and Vietnam are sliding closer to Beijing’s orbit. From Huawei and ZTE’s 5G wins in Hanoi to China’s growing investment in Thai infrastructure, the region’s tilt is unmistakable. But there’s resistance brewing, too—Bangkok’s new tariffs on Chinese imports are a quiet act of rebellion against economic domination. Finally, a deadly blaze in Hong Kong exposes cracks in China’s “stability-first” model, while a drone strike on the Tajik-Afghan border kills three Chinese nationals, reminding everyone that Beijing’s global reach comes with real-world risks. From carriers to cyber, nukes to neighbors—this episode’s packed. Listen in for sharp analysis, fast context, and the kind of insider energy only Restricted Handling delivers. 

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast — your unfiltered, high-energy, intelligence-style breakdown of global power plays, backroom deals, and battlefield shocks. In today’s episode, we dive into the chaos surrounding Donald Trump’s controversial 28-point peace plan for Ukraine — a deal that blindsided Europe, thrilled Moscow, and left Kyiv caught between a rock, a hard place, and a drone strike. This one’s packed with the kind of intrigue you can’t make up: Trump’s envoy and real estate pal Steve Witkoff — yes, that Witkoff — is back in Moscow, shaking hands with Vladimir Putin after being caught on a leaked call coaching the Kremlin on how to flatter the former president. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is playing cleanup in Geneva, trying to convince furious European leaders that they still matter. Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Britain’s Keir Starmer, and France’s Emmanuel Macron are scrambling to rewrite the rules before the U.S. and Russia finalize a plan that could reshape Europe’s borders — again. On the ground, Ukraine’s military is still fighting tooth and nail. Putin claims Russian troops now control 70% of Pokrovsk, while Ukrainian drone units are turning the skies over Samara into fireworks, striking deep inside Russian territory and hitting a major Rosneft refinery for the third time in two months. Kyiv’s also dealing with domestic drama as anti-corruption agents raid the home of Zelenskyy’s right-hand man, Andriy Yermak, right in the middle of negotiations. Europe isn’t just battling diplomatic whiplash — it’s battling itself. Belgium’s warning that using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine could torpedo peace efforts, while Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is cozying up to Putin under the guise of “energy talks.” Add in collapsing Russian industry, spy arrests in France and Poland, and AI-fueled Kremlin disinformation in Latin America, and you’ve got the makings of a geopolitical circus that feels more Bond villain than diplomacy. We’re talking lasers in Greenland, drones over Donbas, and a Europe that’s finally realizing this isn’t a Cold War reboot — it’s a live stream. If you want a fast, sharp, and slightly irreverent take on what’s really happening behind the headlines — from Trump’s peace gamble to Putin’s propaganda — this episode is your classified briefing with a caffeine hit. 

This episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast dives headfirst into one of the most volatile 24 hours in East Asia. From Beijing’s war of words to Taipei’s record-breaking defense budget, “RH 11.27.25 | China: Taiwan’s $40B Shield, Japan’s Defiance, Xi’s Threats, Trump’s Tightrope” breaks down the power plays, the posturing, and the pulse of a region on edge. Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te just unveiled a $40 billion defense megaproject—a once-in-a-generation move to fortify the island against Chinese aggression. We unpack what this means for the balance of power in the Pacific, why Washington’s cheering it on, and how the opposition back home is reacting to the island’s biggest military gamble in history. Expect radar networks, AI-driven targeting, and a massive weapons pipeline from the U.S. to Taipei—all part of Lai’s push to make Taiwan “too expensive to conquer.” Meanwhile, Beijing’s not amused. China’s Defense Ministry is warning Japan it will “pay a painful price” for its growing involvement near Taiwan, after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi doubled down on her vow to defend the island if China invades. Tokyo’s not backing down, deploying new missile systems on Yonaguni Island—just 110 kilometers from Taiwan—and shrugging off the threats like a samurai facing down a paper tiger. We also dig into Trump’s delicate diplomacy—the former president juggling soybean deals with Xi Jinping while telling Tokyo to cool its jets. It’s a classic Trump maneuver: keeping trade alive while trying not to light the fuse on World War III. But Beijing’s already testing boundaries, conducting new amphibious drills and expanding its “shadow fleet” of dual-use civilian ships that could double as invasion transports. If that weren’t enough, China’s out in the Indian Ocean, “researching” suspiciously close to U.S. and Indian military zones, and doubling down on spy paranoia—claiming Western video games are being used to recruit spies and distort Chinese maps. Add in Washington’s new plan to label Alibaba, Baidu, and BYD as Chinese military-linked companies, and the growing AI arms race between Beijing and Silicon Valley, and it’s a tech and security clash with global stakes. All that, plus a dash of space drama—China’s emergency Shenzhou-22 mission, simulated Starlink jamming attacks, and new missile tracking satellites that tighten its orbital grip.  Tune in for sharp analysis, sharp humor, and sharper geopolitics. Because in the Pacific chessboard of 2025, every move counts—and China just made several. 

The latest episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast dives straight into Moscow’s latest round of geopolitical chaos — and wow, it’s a wild one. The Kremlin’s talking peace while launching missiles, Washington’s peace team is leaking like a broken samovar, and Europe’s trying to clean up the diplomatic confetti flying everywhere. In this episode, we break down how Russia officially rejected any concessions in the U.S.-backed Ukraine peace plan just as explosive new leaks hit the headlines. Remember Trump’s real estate buddy–turned–envoy, Steve Witkoff? The guy who got caught coaching Putin’s aide on how to butter up Trump? He’s back, and somehow still running point on peace talks in Moscow. Trump’s standing by him, calling it “standard negotiation.” Congress? They’re calling it treason. Meanwhile, U.S. Army Secretary Dan “Drone Guy” Driscoll has gone from Pentagon reformer to global dealmaker overnight. We’ve got the inside scoop on his whirlwind diplomacy tour from Kyiv to Abu Dhabi, his dire warnings about Russia’s missile buildup, and how he’s using the threat of 3,000 new cruise and ballistic missiles a year to pressure Ukraine into settling. If it sounds like a plot from a geopolitical action movie, that’s because it basically is. Europe isn’t taking this sitting down. Macron, von der Leyen, and the “Coalition of the Willing” are crafting their own version of peace guarantees — part NATO, part “we’re doing this ourselves.” Ukraine’s Zelensky is juggling it all, publicly playing along while privately watching Russia’s “unstoppable” advance slow to a crawl. On the ground, Ukrainian forces are fighting back around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, turning cheap drones and improvised tech into logistical lifelines. We’ll also unpack Moscow’s newest wave of long-range strikes — 823 missiles and drones in one day — and why Russia keeps calling terror campaigns “air interdiction.” Plus, we’ve got fresh reporting on the Belgorod reservist buildup, new NATO airspace violations over Moldova and Romania, and how the Kremlin’s blaming everyone but itself for what’s clearly a pattern. And beyond the battlefield? Putin’s pushing forced assimilation in occupied Ukraine under a new decree to make 95% of residents identify as Russian by 2036 — the Soviet playbook reissued for the digital age. Belarus tightens its embrace of Moscow, China quietly reins in Russia’s nuclear saber-rattling, and an American watchdog group spots a tiny sanctions loophole that could choke Russia’s tank production faster than a winter diesel freeze. Listen now to RH 11.27.25 | Russia: Leaks, Missiles, and the “Peace” That Keeps Exploding — your daily unfiltered take on the global chessboard, with a side of swagger. 

Buckle up for today’s Restricted Handling Podcast, where the Indo-Pacific tension is dialed all the way up to eleven. It’s a whirlwind of diplomacy, deterrence, and drama as Xi Jinping picks up the phone to call Donald Trump, Japan stares Beijing down, and Taiwan unveils its biggest military budget in modern history. From carrier groups to soybeans, this episode has all the geopolitics of a Tom Clancy novel with a dash of late-night talk energy. We kick off with the Xi–Trump call that everyone’s still talking about. Beijing’s blasting propaganda about how Washington now “understands” its view that Taiwan’s “return to China” is part of the post–World War II order. Trump’s selling it as a trade win, touting soybeans, fentanyl cooperation, and a possible April visit to Beijing. But under all that surface-level handshake talk, the real tension’s simmering—China’s using history as a political weapon, Japan’s not buying it, and Taiwan’s digging in for survival. Then we head to Tokyo, where Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi isn’t blinking after Beijing’s tantrum over her Taiwan comments. Japan’s rolling out new surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni Island, just 110 kilometers from Taiwan, and China’s losing it. The Foreign Ministry’s threatening to “crush interference,” while state media’s comparing modern Japan to the 1930s. We unpack how Japan’s strategic spine is stiffening and why public support for Takaichi is climbing despite Chinese pressure. Over in Taipei, President Lai Ching-te unveils a $40 billion defense package aimed at AI-driven command systems, drones, radar networks, and long-term asymmetric deterrence. Taiwan’s message to Beijing is simple: invasion won’t come cheap. Meanwhile, spies are getting caught—Taiwan just busted a new espionage ring linked to the PLA, complete with cash transfers and Hong Kong operatives. And the PLA’s not sitting still. From new Z-20T “Assault Eagle” helicopters training for rapid air insertions to civilian ferries practicing amphibious landings, China’s testing every angle of a cross-strait operation. Add in the Fujian carrier’s live-fire drills, the research ships prowling India’s backyard, and the quiet PLA presence now confirmed at a UAE base, and it’s clear: Beijing’s expanding on every front. Finally, we wrap with the soybean saga—Trump says China’s buying big, but data tells a different story. Beijing’s playing slow ball while pretending it’s a home run. If you want today’s global power plays with edge, wit, and clarity, this episode delivers. The world’s heating up, and we’re here to break it down—fast, sharp, and just a little dangerous. 

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast, where we cut through the noise of global chaos and tell you what’s really happening behind those headlines. In today’s episode — “Russia: Peace Talks, Drone Wars, and the Moscow Playbook” — we’re diving headfirst into one of the wildest 24-hour stretches in the Ukraine-Russia saga so far. The peace talks that were supposed to calm the war just got messier. Remember that “fine-tuned” Trump peace plan we talked about? Turns out it was fine-tuned by Moscow. Yeah, Reuters confirmed that the original 28-point U.S. proposal literally came from a Russian document. That explains a lot. Trump’s team has been spinning it as diplomacy in action, but Bloomberg leaked audio of envoy Steve Witkoff giving Kremlin aides tips on how to flatter Trump into a deal — including talk of Russia keeping Donetsk. So, diplomacy or déjà vu from the Cold War playbook? You decide. Meanwhile, Trump’s “drone guy,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, is being deployed to Kyiv while Witkoff heads to Moscow to meet Putin. Trump says he’ll show up when things are “final.” Sure. Because nothing says “final” like a deal co-written by the other side. Europe’s trying to sneak in edits behind the scenes — Macron, Starmer, and Merz are putting NATO membership and border security back on the table while pretending everything’s going great. Of course, Moscow isn’t backing off. While diplomats traded pleasantries, Russia unleashed a massive missile and drone barrage on Kyiv — hundreds of Shaheds and Iskanders, dozens of hypersonic Kinzhals, and seven civilians dead. The timing? Pure message sending. But Ukraine’s answering back. Kyiv’s long-range drones have been hammering Russia’s military-industrial sites, torching a Beriev aircraft plant and hitting deep inside the country’s electronic warfare facilities. And if that wasn’t enough, Russian drones violated NATO airspace again — crashing deep inside Romania and zipping through Moldova. NATO scrambled fighter jets, and now the alliance is fast-tracking new anti-drone defenses across the Danube Delta. Back in Moscow, Putin signed a new decree ordering “Russian identity” to dominate in occupied Ukrainian regions by 2036 — cultural assimilation dressed up as patriotism. The Russian economy’s cracking under the pressure, Russian Railways is drowning in $50 billion of debt, and Moscow’s arresting cybersecurity nerds for criticizing a government app. Tune in, subscribe, and share. Because in Russia’s playbook, chaos is strategy — and someone’s got to translate it. 

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. In today’s episode, we’re diving headfirst into the chaos of November 25th, 2025 — a day that perfectly captured the contradiction of Russia’s war effort: peace talks by day, missile strikes by night. The Geneva “peace summit” might have wrapped up, but peace is nowhere in sight. The U.S. and Ukraine trimmed Trump’s original 28-point peace plan (which once read like Putin’s Christmas list) down to 19 leaner, tougher points. We’re talking no forced territorial giveaways, no shrinking of Ukraine’s army, and no permanent exile from NATO. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the sessions “tremendously productive,” while Ukrainian negotiator Andriy Yermak said the final calls on NATO and borders will go straight to the big bosses — Trump and Zelensky. Let’s just say that’s going to be a conversation worth watching. Across the table, Europe wasn’t about to be sidelined. Macron, von der Leyen, and the rest of the EU brain trust came in swinging with their own counter-draft. The Europeans raised Ukraine’s troop limit, reasserted its right to choose NATO, and said frozen Russian assets should rebuild Ukraine — not fund shady investment ventures. Macron called the direction “right” but warned against any deal that looks like “capitulation.” If diplomacy had a scoreboard, Europe just dunked. But leave it to Putin to torch the mood — literally. Hours after the Geneva talks ended, Russia unleashed one of its biggest missile-and-drone barrages in weeks, slamming Kyiv’s energy grid and killing at least six people. Entire neighborhoods went dark. Zelensky called it “cynical terror,” and he’s not wrong. The timing couldn’t have been clearer: Russia doesn’t want peace; it wants leverage. Ukraine hit back overnight with a little shock therapy of its own — drone strikes deep inside Russia. A blaze erupted at the Beriev Aircraft Company in Taganrog, the plant that builds Russia’s A-50 spy planes, and fuel depots in Nizhny Novgorod went up in flames. So much for the myth of “impenetrable” air defenses. Meanwhile, the war grinds on in Donetsk’s Pokrovsk — Ukrainian forces clawing back city blocks, Russian troops slogging through mud and fog, and Putin claiming victory while losing bodies and money. Speaking of money, Russian regions are flat broke. Soldiers’ bonuses are going unpaid, enlistment incentives are being slashed, and even China’s making Moscow pay double for basic tech components. Some ally. And while Putin’s broke at home, he’s playing world traveler — heading to Kyrgyzstan with his entourage (and maybe a few oligarchs) to prove he’s still got friends. Meanwhile, Europe’s scrambling jets as Russian drones buzz NATO airspace again. In under ten minutes, we’ll break down every move, every missile, and every political meltdown shaping the Russia-Ukraine chessboard — all with the energy of a high-stakes game recap and the insight of an intel brief. 

The latest episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast drops you right into the heart of China’s high-stakes geopolitical drama.  China’s standoff with Japan and Taiwan has only intensified. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s tough talk on Taiwan sent Beijing into a tailspin, and Japan’s new missile batteries on Yonaguni Island—just 70 miles from Taiwan—have pushed tempers to the brink. Meanwhile, China’s rolling out live-fire drills off Liugong Island, the site of a humiliating 1895 naval defeat, as if to say, “History won’t repeat itself.” Expect missiles, music videos, and military muscle all wrapped in nationalist theatrics worthy of a blockbuster trailer. On the diplomatic front, Trump and Xi are back in the headlines after a “very good” phone call that somehow managed to discuss everything except Taiwan. Beijing’s state media is spinning it as a massive win, claiming Washington finally “understands” the Taiwan question. Trump, on the other hand, is focused on soybeans, tariffs, and his upcoming April visit to China. Somewhere between trade deals and truth posts, the geopolitical chessboard is resetting—and this time, both players are smiling while sharpening their knives. But it’s not all saber-rattling and tariff tantrums. In a bizarre twist, the U.S. and China actually cooperated this week—sort of—on a massive crackdown against Southeast Asian scam syndicates. Thousands were arrested in raids across Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, including the notorious Shwe Kokko complex. It’s the rare moment when Washington and Beijing found common ground, even if for totally different reasons. China also pulled off a major flex in space: the emergency launch of the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft to its Tiangong Space Station. The mission was executed in record time—just 16 days from decision to liftoff—and saved astronauts stranded by a damaged return capsule. Add in steak, cake, and some serious orbital swagger, and you’ve got a space success story with distinctly Chinese flavor. Meanwhile, Russia’s cozying up further to Beijing, pushing for bigger oil and LNG exports to offset Western sanctions. And in South Asia, China’s fingerprints are all over Pakistan’s defense operations—literally. A new U.S. report confirms that Beijing used the May 2025 India-Pakistan clash as a real-world weapons lab for its J-10 fighters and HQ-9 air defenses. Throw in a dash of spycraft—yes, the CCP is still stealing Western tech through everything from USB malware to “honey traps”—and you’ve got a full-spectrum look at how China is rewriting the rules of global power in real time. If you want the sharpest, fastest, and most entertaining daily intelligence rundown on China, this is your episode. Subscribe, share, and strap in—because the great power competition just went cinematic. 

Get ready for a high-octane ride through the sharpest geopolitical moves in East Asia in this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast. “RH 11.24.25 | China: Missiles, Minerals, Purges, and Pressure” dives straight into the heart of a fast-shifting global landscape, where China is making bold plays, Japan is firing back (literally), and the U.S. is trying to keep the whole region from sliding into chaos. If you want a gripping breakdown that mixes national security intelligence with just the right amount of edge, you’re in the right place. This episode covers China’s fiery reaction to Japan’s Taiwan-related comments and missile deployments, a confrontation so heated it’s practically steaming. Beijing is throwing diplomatic elbows, Tokyo is holding its ground, and the Taiwan Strait just got a fresh dose of tension. From UN letters to military deployments, it’s the most explosive China–Japan moment in years—and yes, we unpack every twist. We then shift into China’s huge strategic win in Africa: the takeover of one of the world’s top rare-earth deposits in Tanzania. Beijing’s move to lock down this critical mineral supply strengthens its already dominant global position—and leaves the West scrambling for options. If you follow national security, defense tech, or global supply chains, this is a story you can’t afford to miss. Next, we take you to Hawaii, where the U.S. and China tried to talk maritime safety while simultaneously flexing muscle across the South and East China Seas. China sent bombers, coast guard ships, and fighters buzzing through contested waters. The U.S. kept its carriers rolling. Both sides smiled for the cameras at their security talks. You can guess how well that's going. But inside China, the waves are even bigger: a massive PLA purge is ripping through the senior ranks. Top generals, admirals, theater commanders—gone. Many were directly tied to Taiwan invasion planning. This is one of the most significant shake-ups inside the Chinese military in years, and we break down what happened and why it matters. We also jump into a cinematic cyber-heist out of Hainan, where a criminal ring planted remote-control software on over a thousand corporate computers, stealing sensitive bidding data from hundreds of companies. And finally, we cover the tragic reported loss of 55 Chinese sailors after a nuclear submarine incident in the Yellow Sea—one of the most consequential undersea events in recent memory. If you're tracking China, national security, the Indo-Pacific, or global power competition, this episode is your must-listen. High energy. High stakes. High impact. Don’t miss it. 

This episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast takes you deep inside the last 24 hours of chaos, diplomacy, and deception surrounding Russia’s war in Ukraine. From the marble halls of Geneva to the mud-soaked streets of Pokrovsk, the global stage is alive with drama — and we’re breaking it all down with energy, sharp wit, and a touch of that “you can’t make this up” disbelief. We start in Geneva, where U.S., Ukrainian, and European leaders scrambled to clean up the diplomatic firestorm ignited by Trump’s controversial 28-point peace plan. Originally written with “input” from a Russian oligarch under U.S. sanctions (because of course it was), the plan basically handed Putin a victory lap and asked Ukraine to say thank you. Now, Rubio and Zelensky’s team are rewriting it on the fly — trying to turn a diplomatic trainwreck into something resembling an actual peace framework. Europe’s not sitting quietly either. The Brits, French, and Germans dropped a counterproposal that doubles Ukraine’s troop cap, adds NATO-style guarantees, and tells Putin he can earn his way back into the G8… if he behaves. Meanwhile, Trump is blasting Ukraine online for “zero gratitude,” Zelensky’s smiling through gritted teeth, and European leaders are warning that any peace deal that rewards aggression is a one-way ticket to another war. On the ground, Russia’s trying to turn Pokrovsk into the next Mariupol, launching wave after wave of attacks to encircle the city. Ukrainian paratroopers are still holding the center, fighting block to block. Kyiv’s also flipping the script, hitting back with deep drone strikes — including one that lit up a Moscow power plant like a Fourth of July firework show. Back in Moscow, Putin’s doing what he does best: repression and revisionism. His government just labeled Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation a “terrorist organization.” That’s right — a group of anti-corruption lawyers now shares a list with ISIS. Classic Kremlin logic. Meanwhile, Russian state media’s busy pushing tall tales about “Ukrainian saboteurs” blowing up railways, and their navy’s creeping around British waters again, getting chased off by the Royal Navy. We wrap with Russia’s “reconstruction” of Mariupol — a Potemkin village of propaganda where Ukrainian culture is being scrubbed away and replaced with kitsch patriotism — and a look at how 200,000 Ukrainians in the U.S. are suddenly stuck in immigration limbo. It’s an episode that has everything: high-stakes diplomacy, drone warfare, propaganda straight out of a Cold War reboot, and a cast of world leaders whose egos could power a small city. If you want the day’s geopolitics with personality — the headlines, the heat, and the human mess underneath it all — this is your brief. 

👉 Get the daily intel brief (free) for exclusive insights into Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, global economics and sanctions, spy stories, and expert analysis from former intelligence officers. Stay ahead of the curve—join us here: https://www.restrictedhandling.com/Today we're covering Russia’s COGNITIVE WARFARE and how this war against Ukraine isn’t only being fought on the battlefield—it’s being waged in the cognitive domain. In this episode of the Restricted Handling Podcast, former CIA officers Ryan Fugit and Glenn Corn sit down with one of the world’s foremost experts on Russian strategy and influence operations: Nataliya Bugayova, Non-Resident Fellow at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and Head of Intelligence at Babel Street.Nataliya breaks down how the Kremlin uses cognitive warfare—a blend of psychological operations, information manipulation, narrative shaping, and strategic deception—to pursue goals it cannot achieve through military force alone. From multi-generational propaganda campaigns to reflexive control, Russia has refined a toolkit designed to shape Western reasoning, fracture alliances, delay decision-making, and create political paralysis.We cover the explosive new 28-point U.S.–Russia “peace plan” circulating online, why Russia is pushing it now, and how it fits into Moscow’s long-term objective to subjugate Ukraine and regain control over parts of the former Soviet Union. Nataliya explains why the Kremlin is trying to “win” by asserting false premises—like its supposed right to Ukrainian territory—and how the West often falls into the trap of reacting to tactical disinformation rather than dismantling the strategic narratives that sustain it.Topics include:• Russia’s failure to achieve its military objectives despite 1.2M casualties• How sabotage, drone incursions, and hybrid attacks across Europe support Russia’s cognitive campaigns• China, Iran, and North Korea’s role in enabling Russian military recovery• Why Western hesitation is a core advantage for Moscow• How Ukraine’s defense industrial base is evolving• What the U.S., Europe, and NATO must do to seize back the initiative• Whether Russia can “fight forever”—and whether Ukraine can outlast it• What the West gets wrong about peace, deterrence, and Russia’s long-term intentGlenn shares insights from 34 years in U.S. intelligence, including why panic and emotion play directly into Russian strategy, lessons from the Cold War disinformation battles, and why supporting Ukraine is not charity—it’s strategic self-interest for the United States and every freedom-loving nation.If you want to understand how modern geopolitical influence works, how Russia shapes global perception, and what’s at stake for the U.S. and NATO, this is essential listening.🔗 Links to Nataliya’s and some of her ISW articles:X https://x.com/nataliabugayova?lang=en @nataliabugayovaA Primer on Russian Cognitive Warfare ISW https://understandingwar.org/research/cognitive-warfare/a-primer-on-russian-cognitive-warfare/?utm_source=chatgpt.com Seizing the Initiative against Russia: Putting the United States in Control ISW’s https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/seizing-the-initiative-against-russia-putting-the-united-states-in-control-2/📩 Sign up for Ryan & Glenn’s free daily intel brief: RestrictedHandling.comTimestamps:00:00 – Nataliya on how Russia uses cognitive warfare03:00 – The 28-point U.S.–Russia peace plan10:00 – Russia’s strategic objectives in Ukraine20:00 – Bio-lab disinfo, reflexive control, and multi-generational ops23:00 – Sabotage & hybrid attacks in Europe27:00 – How the West can go on offense36:00 – Can Russia or Ukraine sustain the war?41:00 – U.S. strategic interests & what comes nextIf you found this valuable, please like, subscribe, and share to help more people understand the real fight happening behind the headlines.🕵️‍♂️ Find Glenn Corn Online at ⁠https://greatsouthbayinc.com/⁠

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.

In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we’re diving headfirst into the geopolitical madhouse that is Russia’s last 24 hours — and trust us, it’s a ride. From backroom “peace” plans that read more like surrender terms, to drones, lasers, and a crumbling economy, this one’s packed tighter than a Kremlin press release. We start with the so-called 28-point U.S.–Russia peace plan that’s sending shockwaves through Kyiv, Brussels, and pretty much every capital west of Minsk. It’s the diplomatic equivalent of letting the fox guard the henhouse. Ukraine would have to recognize Russia’s control over Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, cap its military, and promise never to join NATO — while Russia gets readmitted to the G8 and a global economic makeover. Trump’s team calls it “a good plan for both sides.” Ukrainians call it “capitulation.” You decide who’s closer to the truth. President Zelenskyy, ever the showman and statesman, says he’s ready for “honest work” with the U.S., but he’s not signing up for humiliation. Meanwhile, the EU’s fuming that Washington and Moscow are playing geopolitical poker without inviting the house owners. And behind the scenes, U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll shows up in Kyiv for what’s being sold as a “fact-finding mission.” Sounds more like a reassurance tour with a dash of damage control. Then it’s back to the battlefield — and it’s as brutal as ever. Putin’s making surprise visits to his front-line commanders, trying to look like he’s got control while his generals keep losing the same cities they claim to have captured. Kupiansk? Ukraine says it’s still theirs. Pokrovsk? Not so fast. Russian propaganda’s calling every muddy field a “liberation.” Meanwhile, Moscow’s drones and missiles continue to hammer Ukrainian cities, killing civilians and wrecking power grids. Kyiv’s air defenses are intercepting most of them, but the toll’s rising. And it doesn’t stop there. We’ve got lasers off Scotland, Russian disinformation in the Baltics, fake assassination plots involving poisoned British beer, and a Russian economy that’s starting to buckle under its own weight. Inflation’s climbing, workers aren’t getting paid, and even India’s backing off Russian oil. Add in Germany’s massive rearmament plans, Serbia’s energy divorce from Moscow, and the global patience meter flashing red — and you’ve got a regime that’s fighting fires on every front. Tune in for a fast-paced, unfiltered look at how Moscow’s spinning the world while the walls close in. 

Strap in—today’s episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast dives headfirst into the storm that is modern China’s global playbook. From war drills to jazz bans, the world’s second-largest power is flexing, fuming, and fine-tuning every lever of influence it’s got. We start at sea, where China’s so-called “shadow navy” of civilian ferries and cargo ships is back in motion. These aren’t harmless freight carriers—they’re practicing how to unload military vehicles straight onto beaches. Think D-Day logistics, but commercial. It’s part of Beijing’s ever-tightening rehearsal for a Taiwan invasion, where the line between “training” and “preparation” has become paper-thin. Taiwan’s watching every move, and the U.S. isn’t blinking either—especially as a Chinese spy ship was spotted tailing the Quad’s Malabar exercises near Guam. Meanwhile, the Beijing–Tokyo standoff has gone full Cold War energy. Remember Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comment about defending Taiwan? That spark just lit a diplomatic bonfire. China’s now canceled every Japanese concert for the rest of the year, booted cruise lines out of Japanese ports, and redirected thousands of tourists to South Korea instead. It’s part boycott, part flex, and part economic body slam. South Korea’s loving the influx, Japan’s tourism industry… not so much. The spy games keep coming, too. MI5’s warning about Chinese LinkedIn recruiters—those “consultants” offering secret gigs to British officials—just went from rumor to reality. Now it’s a full-blown investigation targeting fake headhunters posing as research firms. Across the pond, U.S. officials are tracking Chinese underground banks laundering over $150 billion a year for everyone from Mexican cartels to North Korean hackers. One suspect in Cambodia, Chen Zhi, is accused of washing billions in crypto through fake real estate deals—complete with links to Pyongyang’s cyber thieves. On the tech front, the semiconductor showdown is heating up again. Four people have been indicted for smuggling Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips into China, and Congress is hitting back with new chip-tracking and export laws. Taiwan’s Foxconn, meanwhile, is building a $1.4 billion supercomputing center with Nvidia that’ll run the next-gen Blackwell GB300 GPUs. It’s the new front line in the AI arms race—and it’s right in the middle of the crossfire. Then there’s Beijing’s hybrid war: hackers hijacking software updates to push malware, while AI-generated propaganda floods social media in Indonesia, painting China as an ancient Islamic ally. It’s historical fiction meets geopolitical psy-ops.