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Four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the war is no longer just about tanks and trenches. It is about energy grids, sanctions battles, drone tech arms races, and whether the West can keep its political house in order. 

In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down the real story behind the headlines. Hungary blocks the European Union’s 20th sanctions package and stalls a massive €90 billion aid package for Ukraine. Slovakia threatens to cut emergency electricity exports. Brussels is arguing over pipelines while Kyiv is managing blackouts. Moscow is watching every second of it. 

We dig into the numbers behind Russia’s war economy. Energy revenues are down 27 percent compared to pre-invasion levels. The National Wealth Fund has been cut roughly in half since 2022. Defense spending now consumes around 40 percent of the Russian federal budget. This is not collapse, but it is pressure. And pressure changes behavior. 

On the battlefield, Ukraine claims new territorial gains in the south. It is not a sweeping counteroffensive, but it is enough to disrupt the narrative that Kyiv is on the ropes. Meanwhile, the drone war continues to reshape modern combat. We talk about Russia’s use of Starlink-equipped Molniya and BM-35 drones, SpaceX’s February 1 shutdown of Russian terminals, and how that decision may have shifted tactical momentum. This is warfare that looks more like Silicon Valley than World War Two. 

We also cover the diplomatic layer. US-mediated talks in Geneva. Russia floating trillions in potential economic projects while still prosecuting the war. Joint naval exercises with Iran and China in the Strait of Hormuz. Arrests in Poland and Belgium tied to Russian espionage networks. Moscow investigating Telegram founder Pavel Durov under terrorism statutes while pushing citizens toward a state-backed messaging app. 

If you want a sharp, strategic breakdown of Russia, Ukraine, NATO, EU politics, sanctions enforcement, energy warfare, and the evolving drone battlefield, this episode has you covered. No fluff. No recycled talking points. Just the key developments and why they matter. 

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 Get the daily intelligence brief Ryan and Glenn read covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, geopolitics, sanctions, military and intel operations. Save a few hours of your time getting ahead of the news cycle at restrictedhandling.com.