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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 intent

Glenn 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 @nataliabugayova
• A 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/

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Timestamps:
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 next

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🕵️‍♂️ Find Glenn Corn Online at ⁠https://greatsouthbayinc.com/⁠