Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast! This episode dives straight into the most important moves coming out of China this week—geopolitics, military shows of force, high-stakes tech battles, and a global economic pivot that’s reshaping alliances.

First up, Beijing isn’t just talking the talk—it’s strutting it. Xi Jinping launched the Global Governance Initiative at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, pitching it as a shiny new alternative to U.S. global leadership. With Putin, Lukashenko, Sharif, and Maduro cheering him on, this wasn’t just about diplomacy—it was a show of bloc power. And as if that wasn’t enough, Xi rolled straight into an over-the-top military parade with Putin and Kim Jong Un at his side, showcasing nuclear missiles, submarine drones, and even a directed-energy weapon.

Then we hit the undersea race. China’s submarine fleet is growing quieter, deadlier, and bigger by the month. The Type 095 is on the way, conventional Yuan-class boats are more capable than ever, and underwater drones are joining the fight. Meanwhile, the U.S. still has better subs but can’t build enough of them, thanks to shipyard bottlenecks and maintenance backlogs. The Pacific’s turning into the ultimate underwater chessboard.

Back in Taiwan, it’s a grind. Coast Guard incursions near Kinmen, oil platforms popping up in contested waters, and 300+ PLA flights into Taiwan’s ADIZ every month. Taipei is pushing back with new drone programs, U.S. defense innovation partnerships, and plans for joint production. Across the water, Japan is dropping a record-shattering defense budget request and the U.S. Army is deploying the Typhon missile system to Japan for the first time. Beijing and Moscow are not amused.

On the trade and tech front, the FCC is moving against Chinese labs, Congress is gunning for a DJI ban, and U.S. industries that rely on cheap, reliable drones are bracing for impact. Meanwhile, China is pivoting its exports to Africa—solar panels, EVs, batteries, steel, machinery—and racking up a $60 billion surplus in 2025 alone. African imports of Chinese solar tech are booming as prices collapse.

And just to round things out: North Korea plays wingman in Beijing, Russia sneaks in sanctioned LNG, China faces its hottest summer on record, and Beijing is hyping humanoid robots to care for its rapidly aging population.

This episode covers it all—China’s nukes, subs, drones, and Africa deals—with the sharp edge and fun energy.

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast — Russia just unleashed its largest air assault since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, hitting Ukraine with over 800 drones and 13 missiles in a single night. For the first time, Kyiv’s Cabinet of Ministers building took a direct hit from an Iskander ballistic missile, a symbolic and dangerous escalation aimed right at Ukraine’s center of power. Ukrainian defenses managed to shoot most of it down, but not before lives were lost and the capital burned.

At the same time, the Kremlin is turning its rhetoric against NATO itself. Dmitry Medvedev dusted off the old Soviet-style propaganda and threatened Finland with nothing less than the “collapse of statehood.” Yep, Russia is now using the same bogus justifications it once used for invading Ukraine and pointing them northward. If that doesn’t send chills across Europe, nothing will.

Meanwhile in Washington, Donald Trump says he’s finally ready to escalate sanctions on Russia. But Moscow shrugged it off, with Peskov calling Western sanctions “absolutely useless.” So what’s real? Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says coordinated U.S.-EU sanctions could actually crash Russia’s war economy—if Europe steps up on secondary sanctions against Moscow’s lifelines like India and China.

And speaking of China, Beijing is sending mixed signals. On one hand, Chinese regulators may let Russian energy firms issue yuan-denominated “panda bonds” for the first time in years, a financial lifeline for Putin. On the other hand, Chinese exports to Russia just dropped 16%, the sharpest fall since February, showing Beijing is nervous about overexposure.

We also break down Russia’s quiet military adaptations:

• Cranking out 50,000 fiber-optic drones a month that jam-proof Ukrainian defenses.

• Conserving armored vehicles for a possible big autumn offensive.

• Rolling out its Borei-A nuclear submarine Emperor Alexander III in the Pacific to flex ahead of New START’s 2026 expiration.

Oh, and while Russia tries to look strong abroad, Putin’s big Vladivostok economic forum was basically a flop—no China, no India, just Laos. Not exactly the “global pivot east” he was hoping for.

This episode is a mix of hard intel, battlefield updates, and some sharp analysis—delivered with the energy and edge you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast! Today’s episode, “RH 9.8.25 | China, Putin & Kim Parade, Taiwan Strait Tensions, Tariff Pain, Scamland Myanmar”, dives into one of the busiest weeks in global geopolitics—where Beijing is center stage and everyone else is reacting.

We kick off with the striking image from Beijing: Xi Jinping flanked by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, waving to crowds as intercontinental ballistic missiles roll through Tiananmen Square. This isn’t just parade fanfare—it’s China flaunting its ties to Russia and North Korea, two sanctioned regimes caught in their own wars and isolation. We break down what the trio’s stage-managed moment means, why it matters, and where the cracks still show.

Next, we head to the Taiwan Strait, where the Canadian frigate Ville de Québec and Australia’s guided-missile destroyer HMAS Brisbane transited the waterway in defiance of Beijing’s claims. The PLA shadowed them with ships and jets, blasting the move as “provocative.” We’ll unpack what this signals about growing allied presence in the Indo-Pacific and why China’s attempts to frame the strait as its territory keep hitting resistance.

On the trade front, U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs are squeezing Beijing hard. Exports to the U.S. plunged 33% in August, while overall growth slowed. China is scrambling to lock in an ASEAN free trade upgrade and to pitch itself as a more “open” economy. Meanwhile, at Europe’s biggest auto show, Volkswagen and Stellantis complained about the double hit of tariffs and Chinese EV competition. Beijing may be hurting in Washington’s markets, but in Southeast Asia and Europe it’s pressing advantages.

We then cover Beijing’s global reach: the Chinese Navy’s hospital ship Silk Road Ark has embarked on a 220-day deployment across the South Pacific, Caribbean, and Latin America. Officially it’s a humanitarian mission, but strategically it plants the PLA Navy squarely in America’s backyard. This is soft-power competition with teeth.

Finally, we dive into one of the darker stories: Myanmar’s explosion as the global hub for cyberfraud. Scam compounds along the Thai border now employ more than 200,000 trafficked laborers, scamming victims worldwide and fueling a humanitarian disaster. It’s a fusion of organized crime, forced labor, and cyberthreats with global reach.

Russia just went all-in with the largest aerial assault of the entire war, and we’re breaking it all down on today’s episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast. Buckle up—because this one is packed with high-stakes moves, record-breaking drone swarms, oil refinery explosions, power blackouts, and sanctions talk that could actually change the game.

Overnight September 6th into 7th, Moscow launched more than 800 projectiles—Shahed drones, decoys, cruise missiles, ballistic rockets—you name it, they threw it. Ukrainian air defenses shot down hundreds, but saturation tactics worked: strikes landed in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, and beyond. And for the first time in the war, the Cabinet of Ministers building in the heart of Kyiv’s government district was hit, sending a chilling message: no place in the capital is safe. Fires, blackouts, and heartbreaking casualties—including a mother and baby—underscore the human toll of Russia’s latest show of force.

But Ukraine isn’t just taking punches—it’s throwing them too. Special Operations and resistance fighters lit up Russia’s Ilsky Oil Refinery in Krasnodar Krai, reportedly destroying its main refining unit, while another strike torched an oil pumping station in Bryansk linked to the Steel Horse pipeline. Ukrainian forces are hitting Moscow right where it hurts: energy infrastructure that fuels both the battlefield and Russia’s budget.

Meanwhile, Washington and Brussels are back in the spotlight. President Trump says he’s ready for “phase two” of sanctions, with his Treasury Secretary pressing Europe to step up with secondary tariffs on countries buying Russian oil. An EU sanctions envoy is in D.C. right now working on the 19th sanctions package, targeting Chinese banks and Indian refiners accused of helping Moscow dodge restrictions. The big question: will the West finally hit the Kremlin’s pocketbook hard enough to matter?

On the battlefield, Russia clawed for small gains in Kharkiv and Donetsk, but Ukraine continues to retake more ground overall. Elite Russian airborne and naval infantry units are being redeployed to Pokrovsk, burning manpower for limited results. At the same time, Moscow is tinkering with “mothership drones” that drop off FPVs to sneak behind Ukrainian lines—another attempt to outpace Kyiv’s defenses. And in a bizarre twist, reports say North Korean forces may have arrived near Kursk to bolster Russian border defenses.

This episode has it all: Russia’s biggest strike of the war, Ukraine’s counterpunches inside Russian territory, sanctions on the table, China’s fingerprints all over Moscow’s drone program, and the strange sight of Pyongyang stepping onto the stage.

If you want the most engaging breakdown of the biggest moves in the Russia-Ukraine war right now—with a little punch and personality—this is the episode you don’t want to miss.

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast! Today’s episode dives straight into one of the most jaw-dropping geopolitical spectacles we’ve seen in years. On September 5, 2025, the world watched Beijing transform into the center stage of a new era of power politics. Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong-un—yes, that lineup—stood shoulder to shoulder at a massive Chinese military parade, and the images screamed one thing: the world order is shifting, and it’s shifting fast.

We break down exactly what went down in Beijing and why it matters. Kim Jong-un left town with a diplomatic win in his back pocket—no more talk of denuclearization from China. That’s a game-changer. Putin, meanwhile, used the moment to thank Kim for sending thousands of North Korean troops to fight (and die) in Ukraine. And Xi? He orchestrated the whole week like a director pulling together an all-star cast to show the world who’s in charge.

But it wasn’t just about parades and handshakes. China showed off its CJ-1000 hypersonic cruise missile, designed to blow past missile defenses at blistering speeds. We get into what makes this weapon so dangerous, and why Guam, the U.S. Navy, and America’s Pacific footprint should be paying attention. At the same time, the United States was busy countering with its own moves—rolling the NMESIS anti-ship missile system onto Okinawa and integrating the deadly LRASM onto the P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft. Translation: the first island chain just got a lot more lethal for any Chinese ship thinking about pushing through.

We also cover China’s coastal buildup across from Taiwan—new amphibious bases, hardened fuel depots, helipads, and dual-use mega-airports that can flip to military operations overnight. The message from Beijing is clear: they’re building the logistics to sustain a Taiwan fight. And in the South China Sea, tensions are as hot as ever, with Chinese ships shadowing U.S., Philippine, Australian, and Canadian drills inside Manila’s own waters.

From NATO warnings that China’s shipyards are leaving the West in the dust, to Chinese research ships creeping around Alaska, and even Saudi Arabia learning that Chinese laser weapons don’t play well with sandstorms—this episode has it all. We wrap up with that hot-mic moment where Xi and Putin casually chatted about living to 150, reminding us that these guys are planning to stick around for a very long time.

It’s hard-hitting, it’s fast-paced, and yes—we’ll even throw in a few laughs at Beijing and Moscow’s expense. Tune in now and get the full breakdown of the week’s most important developments in China, North Korea, Russia, and the Indo-Pacific.

Get ready for a high-energy breakdown of the latest twists in the Russia-Ukraine war, global diplomacy, and cyber intrigue on The Restricted Handling Podcast. This episode, “RH 9.5.25 | Russia: Troop Threats, Oil Strikes, Economic Strain, Cyber Ops,” takes you inside the week’s biggest moves—from Paris to Vladivostok to the skies over Ukraine—with the punch and pace you need to keep up.

We start in Paris, where Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky pulled together 26 nations to pledge postwar security guarantees for Ukraine. That’s right—Europe, Canada, Japan, and others are saying they’ll be ready with a “reassurance force” the day a ceasefire is inked. This isn’t just talk. We’re talking about troops in the rear, long-range missiles, and training packages, plus financing and weapons production from those who can’t deploy directly. It’s the clearest signal yet that Ukraine’s allies are planning for a future where Moscow doesn’t get to call the shots.

And how did Vladimir Putin take the news? About as well as you’d expect. From Vladivostok, he thundered that any Western troops in Ukraine before a peace deal would be “legitimate targets.” Moscow’s diplomats followed up with their usual playbook: dismissals, Nazi accusations aimed at Germany, and warnings about the Baltics turning into a theater of war. It’s the old Soviet-era mix of saber-rattling and propaganda—maskirovka dressed up as diplomacy.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump called into the Paris summit to lecture Europeans about buying Russian oil, while keeping his own “good dialogue” going with Putin. Europe’s nervous he could push Kyiv into an ugly deal, but Washington’s role is still being defined. The U.S. has promised support, but details remain fuzzy.

Back home in Russia, the economy is wobbling. Sberbank’s German Gref admitted the country’s in “technical stagnation,” inflation is biting, and the funeral industry is booming thanks to staggering casualty numbers. Putin’s cousin even bragged that Russia is now a leader in prosthetic limbs because of wounded soldiers. If that sounds dark, it’s because the war has ground down Russia’s labor force, with minorities bearing the heaviest losses.

On the battlefield, Ukraine is striking back—drones lit up Rosneft’s massive Ryazan refinery, knocking Russian refining capacity down even further. Add in drone hits on radar sites and a massive air defense effort that shot down hundreds of Shahed drones in a single night, and Kyiv is proving it can reach deep into Russia while holding the skies at home.

And let’s not forget cyberspace. The FBI just dropped a $10 million bounty on three FSB hackers tied to attacks on U.S. critical infrastructure. Dragonfly—aka Berserk Bear—is still out there, prowling energy networks and proving that Russia’s war is global, not just on the ground.

This is an episode packed with troop threats, oil strikes, economic pain, and cyber ops. If you want the latest pulse of geopolitics with a little edge and energy, you won’t want to miss it.

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast — today’s episode, “RH 9.21.25 | China Parade, Nukes, Cyber, Tariffs, Espionage”, dives into one of the most loaded weeks we’ve seen in global affairs in years. From Beijing’s extravagant military parade to a jaw-dropping Chinese cyberattack that may have touched nearly every American, this episode has it all: power plays, political theater, and a little bit of hot-mic immortality talk between Putin and Xi. Yeah, you read that right.

We kick things off in Tiananmen Square, where Xi Jinping took center stage with Vladimir Putin on one side and Kim Jong Un on the other. It wasn’t just about commemorating history — this was a spectacle meant to show the world that China is positioning itself as the center of gravity in a new, eastern-led order. The optics were brutal for Washington: hypersonic missiles, naval drones, nuclear-capable ICBMs, and even cyber operators marching in formation. It was Xi’s way of saying, “The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable.”

But Beijing wasn’t just showing off offensive firepower. They rolled out a homegrown missile defense system designed to rival America’s $175 billion “Golden Dome.” Six different interceptors, spanning everything from cruise missiles to midcourse ballistic threats, were paraded in front of cheering crowds. Whether the systems actually work in combat is anyone’s guess — but the symbolism was clear: China wants the world to know it can defend as well as strike.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Donald Trump couldn’t resist commenting on the parade. First he downplayed it, then he praised it, then he accused Xi, Putin, and Kim of conspiring against the U.S. His tariffs, especially the 50% levy on Indian imports, also made a cameo this week, driving Xi and Modi into friendlier optics alongside Putin. Whether that “thaw” lasts or not, it complicates America’s effort to pull India closer.

And then came the cyberbombshell. The Chinese state-sponsored group “Salt Typhoon” was revealed to have hacked into telecoms and infrastructure across 80+ countries — and possibly scooped up data on virtually every American. Investigators say the attackers even compromised phones used by Trump and JD Vance during last year’s campaign. This wasn’t some quick hit. It was patient, sophisticated, and global.

We also touch on China’s Ministry of State Security exposing spy recruitment tactics targeting Chinese students and officials, warning the public about romance traps, “easy money” jobs, and intimidation schemes. And, for the surreal cherry on top, Putin and Xi were caught on a hot mic musing about organ transplants and living to 150.

This episode blends the serious with the strange, the strategic with the symbolic. If you want to understand how China is flexing its muscles — from missiles to malware — while cozying up with Russia and North Korea, this one’s for you.

Tune in to The Restricted Handling Podcast.

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast! In this episode, we’re diving straight into the storm swirling around Russia, China, North Korea, and the war in Ukraine — and it’s a wild ride.

Putin is in Beijing trying to play statesman, insisting any “peace talks” must happen in Moscow. Kyiv says no way, calling it a trap. Meanwhile, Putin’s standing shoulder to shoulder with Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un at China’s massive military parade, projecting strength like it’s the 1980s Soviet days all over again. Kim promised to do “everything possible” for Moscow, sending troops, shells, and plenty of loyalty. Xi keeps smiling, balancing sanctions risk, while also signing a flashy new gas pipeline deal — the so-called Power of Siberia 2 — that could shift global energy flows for decades.

But the real fireworks aren’t just at parades. Ukraine is striking deep into Russia with swarms of kamikaze drones, crippling refineries and knocking out up to 20% of Moscow’s oil refining capacity. That means rationing, shortages, and gas lines across Russia. Soviet flashbacks are real: queues at the pump, crumbling infrastructure, and a leader who says he’s in control while the cracks keep widening.

Europe isn’t just watching — they’re planning. France and Britain are spearheading a “coalition of the willing” to put troops in postwar Ukraine. Think reassurance forces, rebuilding missions, no-fly zone enforcement, and turning Ukraine into what EU leaders call a “steel porcupine.” The U.S. role? Air defense, ISR, and backing from the skies — Trump has ruled out boots on the ground but made clear America will still be part of the equation.

On the battlefield, Kupiansk has become a propaganda fight, with Russia staging flag videos while Ukraine shreds infiltrators in the grey zone. Russian assaults continue near Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka, and Moscow just launched another massive drone and missile wave against Ukraine’s energy grid. Poland scrambled F-35s, reminding everyone this war is never far from NATO’s borders.

And let’s not forget the cyber fight. The U.S. State Department just dropped a $10 million bounty on three FSB officers tied to major hacks against energy, nuclear, and telecom sectors. Call them Berserk Bear, Dragonfly, or whatever codename you like — they’re the sharp end of Russia’s digital war.

This episode packs it all: Putin’s stunts, Kim’s loyalty pledge, Xi’s pipeline play, Ukraine’s drone blitz, Europe’s big step, and America’s struggle to lock down a deal. Strap in — this is The Restricted Handling Podcast and today’s intel hits harder than a Shahed swarm.