Restricted Handling Podcast

Ryan Fugit
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Politics

Former CIA officers get experts insights on Russia, China, Iran, North Korea; international security, geopolitics, military, intel operations, sanctions and economic power plays. Get deeper daily analysis on Substack at https://substack.com/@restrictedhandling. Find daily intel brief podcasts on Russia, China, and Iran at https://open.spotify.com/show/6Kb9BYk98BEmeHVpgWiklG

  1. Sep 28 ·  Video

    Russia's Arctic Threat: Submarines, Sabotage, and Undersea Cables in the High North with Navalist

    One Russian submarine can turn the North Atlantic into a hunting ground. 👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast at [Restricted Handling](https://www.restrictedhandling.com/) (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/) to get a daily intel brief on Russia, China, Iran, Economics/Sanctions, Espionage, and more Russian submarines, vulnerable undersea cables, and Arctic shipping routes are bringing the High North into sharper focus. Ryan sits down with Dr. Steve Wills, a 20-year U.S. Navy veteran and navalist at the Center for Maritime Strategy, to explain what is at stake for the United States and its allies. Steve describes a modern Russian cruise missile submarine as an underwater Bismarck: difficult to find, dangerous to pursue, and capable of threatening targets ashore. He explains why Greenland and the Greenland-Iceland-UK gap matter, how Arctic conditions complicate cable repairs, and what China wants from a region far from its own coastline. For background on the Russian security and energy institutions behind these issues, explore the [Russia Power Network](https://www.restrictedhandling.com/power-network/russia) (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/power-network/russia). In this episode, we cover: - Undersea cable threats around Svalbard and the difficulty of Arctic repairs - The Northern Sea Route, Russian control, and shadow fleet sanctions evasion - Greenland's military value and the submarine routes into the North Atlantic - Deep-diving Russian submarines, undersea vehicles, and lessons from Ukraine's drone war - China's Arctic energy interests and growing shipbuilding capacity - Canada's icebreakers, shipyards, and practical cooperation with the United States - Life at sea, Cold War naval strategy, and Steve's souvenir from the cruiser Moskva The conversation connects the Arctic's geography to everyday security: the cables carrying data, the ships moving energy, and the naval forces protecting access. Go deeper with Restricted Handling - Explore the [Russia Arsenal Map](https://www.restrictedhandling.com/power-network/russia/arsenal) (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/power-network/russia/arsenal) for related background on missile systems, including the sea-launched Kalibr. - Revisit [What Sanctions Cost Russia, Even When It Finds a Way Around](https://www.restrictedhandling.com/roman-steblivskyi-russia) (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/roman-steblivskyi-russia), our June 29 conversation with Roman Steblivskyi, for more on sanctions enforcement and Russia's shadow fleet. Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Russia's underwater threat and introducing Steve Wills • 01:11 Dog sledding and polar bears on Svalbard • 02:14 Life at sea and steel beach picnics • 04:36 Undersea cable threats and difficult Arctic repairs • 07:05 Why the High North matters: resources and shipping • 09:40 The Northern Sea Route and dealing with Russia • 13:16 Russia's shadow fleet and sanctions evasion • 15:25 Greenland, Cold War bases, and Project Iceworm • 18:16 Russian submarines and the Greenland-Iceland-UK gap • 21:45 Underwater drones and Russia's deep-sea capabilities • 24:08 U.S. naval reach versus Russia's Northern Fleet • 26:38 What China wants in the Arctic • 29:06 The Arctic risks people overlook • 31:24 Canada, icebreakers, and ship maintenance • 33:30 NATO service and favorite port visits • 36:17 Cold War strategy and Soviet submarine bastions • 37:20 Steve's Moskva souvenir and a Cold War time capsule • 39:17 China's shipbuilding advantage: quantity versus quality About Steve Wills Dr. Steve Wills is a navalist at the Center for Maritime Strategy. He served 20 years as a U.S. Navy officer, with assignments at the Defense Intelligence Agency and NATO. His work focuses on naval strategy, surface warfare, and Cold War naval history. [Steve Wills at the Center for Maritime Strategy](https://centerformaritimestrategy.org/experts/dr-steven-wills/) (https://centerformaritimestrategy.org/experts/dr-steven-wills/) [Restricted Handling](https://www.restrictedhandling.com/) (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/)

    Russia's Arctic Threat: Submarines, Sabotage, and Undersea Cables in the High North with Navalist

  2. Sep 21

    Would Putin Use Peace to Prepare for Another War? w/ Former Ambassador to Russia and Ukraine Tefft

    What if Putin sees a peace deal as time to prepare for his next war? 👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast at Restricted Handling (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/) to get a daily intel brief on Russia, China, Iran, Economics/Sanctions, Espionage, and more Ambassador John Tefft joins Ryan Fugit and Glenn Corn to explain how Moscow sees Ukraine, why he doubts Putin is ready for a lasting settlement, and what American negotiators need to understand before sitting across from the Kremlin. Across 45 years in the Foreign Service, Tefft served as U.S. ambassador to Lithuania, Georgia, Ukraine, and Russia. He brings firsthand stories from NATO negotiations, Ukrainian universities, and a Moscow farewell party where a Russian diplomat said something about Georgia and Ukraine that stayed with him for decades. His account of Putin's ambitions connects directly to the people and institutions mapped in the Russia Power Network (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/power-network/russia). In this episode, we cover: Why Tefft believes Putin sees territorial expansion as his legacy. Russian pressure on NATO, Poland, and the Baltic states. Whether a settlement could give Moscow time to rebuild and attack again. A 1997 NATO negotiation and the military explanation that silenced the room. How Ukrainian civil society challenges Moscow's assumptions. Repression, economic strain, and the war's growing costs inside Russia. Ukraine's technical talent and its importance to European security. Returning to Moscow after retirement and the family commitment behind a diplomatic career. This conversation connects the terms of a possible peace deal to the question that follows: would it leave Ukraine secure enough to prevent another war? Go deeper with Restricted Handling Explore the Ukraine Arsenal Map (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/power-network/ukraine/arsenal) for background on Ukrainian drones, missiles, aircraft, and air defense. Revisit What Would Actually Get Putin to Stop? (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/glenn-corn-russia-iran), the August 14 conversation with Glenn and Ryan about ceasefire terms, sanctions, and the risk of another Russian attack. Timeline / chapters • 00:01 Introducing Ambassador John Tefft • 03:36 Are Russia and the West heading toward a shooting war? • 04:49 Putin's ambition to become a "gatherer of lands" • 10:00 Russian hybrid warfare and Baltic deterrence • 16:03 Would Putin accept a lasting compromise? • 20:21 Could a settlement let Russia rebuild and attack again? • 21:51 The 1997 NATO negotiation that silenced the room • 23:46 What Moscow misunderstands about Ukrainian society • 27:52 The war's growing costs inside Russia • 34:03 Ukraine's universities and wartime innovation • 36:06 What negotiators need when dealing with Moscow • 37:34 What students in eastern Ukraine actually wanted • 39:10 Why Tefft made university visits a diplomatic priority • 42:17 Russia's 1990s transition and the roots of today's conflict • 44:10 A Moscow farewell party and a revealing remark • 45:54 Coming out of retirement for Moscow • 49:18 The unexpected Rome assignment his family loved • 51:57 Professionalism, family sacrifice, and public service About John Tefft John Tefft served as U.S. ambassador to Lithuania, Georgia, Ukraine, and Russia during a 45-year Foreign Service career. His assignments included leading the embassy in Georgia during the 2008 war and returning from retirement to serve in Moscow. Read his RAND commentary discussed in this episode: The War Is Coming Home to Russia (https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2026/02/the-war-is-coming-home-to-russia.html). How to find Glenn Corn Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer and multi-time Chief of Station in some of the world's most difficult posts. You can find him at the Institute of World Politics (https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/) or his consultancy at Great South Bay Consulting (https://greatsouthbayinc.com/). Restricted Handling (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/)

    Would Putin Use Peace to Prepare for Another War? w/ Former Ambassador to Russia and Ukraine Tefft

  3. Sep 15

    Glenn Narrowly Avoids Drone Strike in Ukraine w/ General Petraeus and Delegation

    Glenn Corn had just evacuated his train when a Russian drone struck a nearby locomotive. 👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast at Restricted Handling (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/) to get a daily intel brief on Russia, China, Iran, Economics/Sanctions, Espionage, and more Back from Ukraine, Glenn joins Ryan Fugit to recount a drone strike near the Polish border while traveling with a delegation led by General David Petraeus. He describes repeated evacuations, anti-aircraft fire overhead, railway workers shouting for passengers to run, and families moving into nearby fields. Glenn says nobody was hurt in the incident. He also explains why he believes the strike was intended to intimidate foreign visitors and threaten Ukraine's connections to the outside world. For background on the leadership and institutions discussed, explore the Russia Power Network (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/power-network/russia). In this episode, we cover: The evacuation, explosion, and eventual crossing into Poland. Ukrainian railway workers who had to turn around and return to danger. Glenn's assessment of the message to foreign visitors, including Petraeus and Boris Johnson. Traveling with Petraeus and the everyday strain on Ukrainian civilians. Why praise for Ukrainian resilience can ring hollow without help. Sanctions, air defense shortages, and Glenn's Berlin Airlift analogy for a winter supply effort. Putin, the G20, energy ceasefire skepticism, and possible NATO air defense options. An eyewitness account of one frightening journey opens a larger discussion about keeping Ukraine connected, supplied, and protected as winter approaches. Go deeper with Restricted Handling Explore the aircraft, drones, and air defense systems in the Ukraine Arsenal Map (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/power-network/ukraine/arsenal). Revisit Glenn Corn and Ghost on Ukraine, 9/11, and the Cost of War (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/glenn-corn-ghost-ukraine), our September 11 conversation on civilian resilience, battlefield adaptation, and a veteran's recovery. Timeline / chapters 00:00 Glenn returns from a nearby drone strike 02:12 The rail route from Ukraine into Poland 07:26 Evacuated again as the train waits near the border 09:02 Anti-aircraft fire, warnings to run, and the explosion 12:35 The railway workers who had to go back 15:02 Glenn's assessment: a warning to foreign visitors 20:27 What traveling with General Petraeus is like 22:09 Ukrainian civilians living with constant attacks 24:47 Ryan explains danger close 25:42 Sanctions, accurate reporting, and air defense 27:29 A Berlin Airlift analogy for supplying Ukraine 29:15 Putin, the G20, and Russian influence channels 31:40 Would an energy infrastructure ceasefire hold? 32:42 Ryan's NATO hypothesis and Ukraine's approaching winter 35:40 Could NATO aircraft help intercept drones? 38:17 Mayday, jet lag, and Glenn's Ukrainian banya experience 41:38 Upcoming guests and a Petraeus invitation 42:17 Get the RH Daily Intel Brief How to find Glenn Corn Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer and multi-time Chief of Station in some of the world's most difficult posts. You can find him at the Institute of World Politics (https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/) or his consultancy at Great South Bay Consulting (https://greatsouthbayinc.com/). Restricted Handling (https://www.restrictedhandling.com/)

    Glenn Narrowly Avoids Drone Strike in Ukraine w/ General Petraeus and Delegation

  4. Sep 11

    Glenn in Kiev: Underground Bunkers, 9/11 Tribute, Losing Your Best Friend - Interview w/ UKR Ghost

    From the morning of 9/11 to Ukraine's underground fighting positions, this episode follows the people who carry the cost of war with Ryan and Glenn discussing what 9/11 meant and if we should believe a ceasefire in this new war is coming soon. 👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast at https://www.restrictedhandling.com/ to get a daily intel brief on Russia, China, Iran, Economics/Sanctions, Espionage, and more Ryan Fugit and Glenn Corn mark the anniversary of 9/11 with Glenn reporting from Kyiv. Glenn recalls watching the first plane hit the World Trade Center from an overseas posting, the order that followed, and the relentless years of operations that transformed the CIA and the military. The conversation then turns to Ukraine. Glenn describes Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian resilience ahead of another hard winter, the limits of current peace negotiations, and why drones and constant surveillance are pushing the war underground. In the second half, Glenn speaks with Ghost, a Ukrainian combat veteran who fought in the Avdiivka direction. Ghost recounts running into danger to help wounded comrades, surviving an artillery strike after a combat medic shielded him from the blast, and recovering from a brain injury and ruptured eardrums. He now helps other Ukrainian soldiers confront combat stress and psychological trauma. In this episode, we cover: • Where Ryan and Glenn were on 9/11 • The quiet courage and lasting costs of the post-9/11 wars • Mike Spann and the opening chapter of the war in Afghanistan • Ukrainian morale ahead of another difficult winter • What Russian strikes reveal about Putin's approach to negotiations • A potential larger role for CIA Director John Ratcliffe • How drones, artificial intelligence, and surveillance are driving warfare underground • Ghost's first combat missions with the Third Assault Brigade • The combat medic who sacrificed himself to save Ghost • Ukraine's evolving approach to combat stress and psychological recovery This episode connects two generations of war through duty, sacrifice, deterrence, and the human consequences that remain after the headlines move on. Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Why John Ratcliffe may matter in Ukraine peace talks • 00:22 Ryan and Glenn open from Kyiv • 02:03 A Russian strike erupts during Glenn's Ukraine call • 05:55 Where Glenn was on 9/11 • 09:05 Quiet courage, CIA duty, and the cost of war • 14:23 How the war on terror narrowed America's focus • 15:44 Ukraine's morale before another hard winter • 18:37 What Putin's strikes say about peace negotiations • 21:06 Ratcliffe, Moscow, and the language of strength • 24:56 Why drone warfare is driving soldiers underground • 28:34 Hybrid warfare, sabotage networks, and Glenn's message from Kyiv • 30:57 Glenn introduces Ghost in Kyiv • 32:53 From economics student to Third Assault Brigade soldier • 36:56 Why Ghost ran into danger to rescue his comrades • 37:48 The artillery strike and the medic who saved Ghost • 40:29 Brain injury, evacuation, and learning to speak again • 41:24 Helping soldiers confront combat stress • 44:43 A more brutal battlefield and what shapes frontline morale • 47:01 How Ghost got his call sign About Ghost Ghost is a Ukrainian combat veteran who joined the Third Assault Brigade, fought as an infantryman in the Avdiivka direction, and survived a severe artillery strike. After recovering from a brain injury and ruptured eardrums, he began helping soldiers in the Third Army Corps with morale and psychological recovery. How to find Glenn Corn Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer and multi-time Chief of Station in some of the world's most difficult posts. You can find him at the Institute of World Politics (https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/) or his consultancy at Great South Bay Consulting (https://greatsouthbayinc.com/). Restricted Handling https://www.restrictedhandling.com/

    Glenn in Kiev: Underground Bunkers, 9/11 Tribute, Losing Your Best Friend - Interview w/ UKR Ghost

  5. Sep 7

    Who Is Running Iran w/ Iran Expert Alex Vatanka Plus Nukes, Is Mojtaba Alive, What Trump Should Do

    Who is running Iran when its supreme leader stays out of sight? See the Iran leadership chart at https://www.restrictedhandling.com/power-network/iran  👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast at https://www.restrictedhandling.com/ to get a daily intel brief on Russia, China, Iran, Economics/Sanctions, Espionage, and more Ryan Fugit sits down with Iran expert and author Alex Vatanka to examine who holds power inside the Islamic Republic, why the regime has survived sustained pressure, and what a realistic American strategy would require. Vatanka explains why Mojtaba Khamenei's absence leaves unanswered questions, how Revolutionary Guard networks shape decisions, and why disagreements inside the regime still matter. He also challenges the assumption that airstrikes and economic sanctions alone can deliver regime change. In this episode, we cover: • What we can and cannot conclude about Mojtaba Khamenei's absence • Why the IRGC could benefit from a politically weak supreme leader • The divide between factions seeking a deal and those preparing for prolonged confrontation • How Washington could support Iranian civil society • Iran's enriched uranium and the limits of destroying nuclear facilities • The Strait of Hormuz, energy markets, and economic warfare • Why public anger does not automatically become an uprising • What the United States needs to decide about its end state • Polymarket questions about Mojtaba's public return and a possible American ground invasion The central question: how does military pressure become a political outcome? Vatanka lays out the stakes for Washington, the Iranian people, and the wider region. Prediction-market figures discussed reflect the conversation at the time of recording. Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Alex Vatanka's warning on the Iran war • 00:59 Is Mojtaba alive, and who is running Iran? • 05:09 Why Mojtaba was chosen as supreme leader • 08:06 Can military pressure and sanctions force a deal? • 11:06 The factions dividing Iran's leadership • 15:56 How the US could support Iranian civil society • 19:43 Iran's enriched uranium and nuclear bargaining power • 20:33 Sponsor message • 21:31 Hormuz, economic warfare, and rebuilding nuclear capabilities • 23:55 How to track Iran's competing power networks • 26:20 Could economic decline trigger an uprising? • 29:43 What should America's end state in Iran be? • 32:52 Polymarket: Will Mojtaba make a public appearance? • 33:59 Polymarket: Will the US launch a ground invasion? About Alex Vatanka Alex Vatanka is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute specializing in Middle Eastern security, with a particular focus on Iran. Born in Tehran, he previously served as a senior analyst at Jane's Information Group in London and has testified before the US Congress. His work examines Iranian domestic politics, security networks, and foreign policy. Official MEI biography MEI profile and latest analysis: https://mei.edu/person/alex-vatanka/ Personal website and biography: https://www.vatanka.com/about His books: The Battle of the Ayatollahs in Iran: The United States, Foreign Policy, and Political Rivalry since 1979 (2021) Explores how the rivalry between Ali Khamenei and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani shaped Iran's politics and foreign policy. This is the book most directly connected to your conversation about competing power networks. Publisher page at Bloomsbury / I.B. Tauris Iran and Pakistan: Security, Diplomacy and American Influence (2015; paperback 2017) Examines the relationship between Tehran and Islamabad, including cooperation and tensions over Afghanistan, religion, security, and American influence. Publisher page at Bloomsbury / I.B. Tauris Book page on Alex's website More from Restricted Handling: https://www.restrictedhandling.com/

    Who Is Running Iran w/ Iran Expert Alex Vatanka Plus Nukes, Is Mojtaba Alive, What Trump Should Do

  6. Aug 31

    TOPGUN Instructor on Iran, Drones, Why We Can't Eliminate the threat from Iran and the Future of Air War w/ Dave Berke

    America can destroy most of an enemy's air threat and still leave enough hidden launchers to keep the war dangerous. 👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast at https://www.restrictedhandling.com/ to get a daily intel brief on Russia, China, Iran, Economics/Sanctions, Espionage, and more Ryan Fugit sits down with Dave Berke, a retired Marine Corps fighter pilot, former TOPGUN instructor, and the only Marine ever to fly the F-22 Raptor. Drawing on combat missions, carrier deployments, and experience flying the F-18, F-16, F-22, and F-35, Berke explains what extended operations at sea demand from sailors and aviators, why Iran can continue launching missiles after a massive strike campaign, and how drones are forcing the military to rethink air warfare. In this episode, we cover: • What more than 250 days at sea can do to an aircraft carrier crew • Steam catapults versus electromagnetic launch systems • Why promising military technology sometimes gets worse before it gets better • What Ukraine has demonstrated about drones, autonomy, and AI • How TOPGUN and frontline warfighters are adapting to unmanned warfare • Why Iran's mobile missile launchers are so difficult to eliminate • What reported aircraft losses reveal about modern combat • How decentralized command gives American forces an advantage • Why Berke filled his leadership book with his own mistakes • Jocko Willink's advice to write 1,000 words a day This conversation offers a rare operator's view of carrier aviation, technological change, and the uncomfortable reality that even the world's most capable military cannot remove every threat from the battlefield. Timeline / chapters • 00:00 The Herculean performance of carrier aviation over Iran • 00:24 Meet former TOPGUN instructor Dave Berke • 02:47 What 250 days at sea does to a carrier crew • 06:25 The shore leave question no one can answer on air • 08:00 Steam catapults versus electromagnetic launch systems • 11:13 What Ukraine teaches the U.S. military about drones and AI • 13:20 How TOPGUN is adapting to unmanned warfare • 14:48 Why Iran's mobile missile launchers are so hard to eliminate • 17:54 What reported U.S. aircraft losses reveal about modern combat • 20:12 Why even a dominant military still takes losses • 21:34 Decentralized command and the future of American airpower • 24:06 Why writing The Need to Lead was so difficult • 26:19 Jocko's 1,000-words-a-day advice • 27:08 Why authentic failure makes leadership lessons stronger • 28:19 How junior pilots helped Berke master the F-22 About Dave Berke Dave Berke is a retired Marine Corps fighter pilot, former TOPGUN graduate and instructor, and the only Marine ever to fly the F-22 Raptor. He flew combat missions from aircraft carriers and in Iraq and Afghanistan, commanded the world's first F-35B squadron, and is rated on the F-18 and F-16. He is now the Chief Development Officer at Echelon Front and the author of The Need to Lead: A Top Gun Instructor's Lessons on How Leadership Solves Every Challenge. The Need to Lead: A TOPGUN Instructor's Lessons on How Leadership Solves Every Challenge In The Need to Lead, retired Marine fighter pilot and former TOPGUN instructor Dave Berke transforms hard-earned lessons from aerial combat, ground operations, business, and family life into a practical guide to leadership. Through candid stories about mistakes, pressure, humility, and growth, Berke shows that leadership is a skill anyone can develop. The book features a foreword by Jocko Willink and offers useful lessons for anyone responsible for leading a team, a family, or themselves. Restricted Handling https://www.restrictedhandling.com/

    TOPGUN Instructor on Iran, Drones, Why We Can't Eliminate the threat from Iran and the Future of Air War w/ Dave Berke

  7. Aug 28

    North Korea Has More Leverage Than Before, Kim Jong Un on Russia, China, Trump w/ Expert Rachel Lee

    A surprising episode where North Korea in 2026 is stronger, more battle-tested, and less willing to bargain than the country Donald Trump faced in 2019. 👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast at https://www.restrictedhandling.com/ to get a daily intel brief on Russia, China, Iran, Economics/Sanctions, Espionage, and more Ryan Fugit sits down with North Korea expert Rachel Minyoung Lee to examine what Kim Jong Un wants from renewed diplomacy with President Trump and why Pyongyang now believes it is negotiating from a position of strength. Rachel explains how analysts separate real signals from North Korean propaganda, why Kim Yo Jong's measured response to Trump matters, and how North Korea uses the rank of its messenger to control the authority of every statement. The conversation also examines what North Korea is gaining from its relationship with Russia, including economic benefits, political protection, battlefield experience, drone lessons, and possible conventional military technology. In this episode, we cover: • Why Kim Jong Un's daughter's reported name remains unconfirmed • How analysts find meaningful signals inside North Korean propaganda • Kim Yo Jong's carefully calibrated response to Trump • Why Pyongyang sees Trump as a diplomatic opportunity • North Korea's demand for recognition of its nuclear status • How the Iran conflict reinforces Kim's nuclear strategy • What North Korea is gaining from the war in Ukraine • Why North Korean forces now possess real battlefield experience • Russia's possible role in modernizing North Korea's conventional military • China's influence over North Korea and its reluctance to use it • The likelihood of another Trump-Kim summit • How a failed summit could increase the risk of miscalculation or conflict This episode explains why personal rapport alone cannot resolve the North Korean nuclear problem. Kim Jong Un has more options, more confidence, and more powerful partners than he did during the 2018 and 2019 summits. If Washington misreads that shift, another high-profile meeting could leave the Korean Peninsula more dangerous. Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Rachel Minyoung Lee on decoding North Korea • 01:33 Why Kim Jong Un's daughter's reported name may be wrong • 03:54 Finding the real signal inside North Korean propaganda • 05:41 Why the rank of the messenger changes the message • 09:02 Kim Yo Jong responds to Trump's renewed outreach • 13:24 Why Pyongyang sees Trump as a golden opportunity • 16:35 Downsized military exercises and demands for more concessions • 17:24 Nuclear recognition as North Korea's price for engagement • 19:05 How the Iran conflict reinforces Kim's nuclear strategy • 21:53 What North Korea is getting from Russia • 24:41 Battlefield lessons, drones, and North Korea's combat edge • 26:28 Why Russia may favor conventional military transfers • 29:17 What China wants from North Korea • 31:43 China's leverage and why Beijing will not use it • 36:08 Trump's fascination, bromance, and unfinished business • 39:14 Nuclear recognition and the unclear US endgame • 40:37 How another Trump-Kim photo op could backfire • 43:16 Deterrence gaps and the growing risk of miscalculation About Rachel Minyoung Lee Rachel Minyoung Lee is a senior fellow for the Stimson Center's Korea Program and 38 North. She previously spent two decades as a North Korea collection expert and analyst with the US government's Open Source Enterprise, formerly known as the Open Source Center. Her work has covered North Korean leadership, politics, economics, foreign policy, security, and public messaging. Official 38 North profile: https://www.38north.org/author/rachel-minyoung-lee/ Restricted Handling: https://www.restrictedhandling.com/

    North Korea Has More Leverage Than Before, Kim Jong Un on Russia, China, Trump w/ Expert Rachel Lee

  8. Aug 27

    CIA Director Warns Putin | Glenn Corn's Perspective from the Region | Retired CIA Case Officer/CoS

    A CIA director's reported trip to Moscow raises one urgent question: What message did Washington send Vladimir Putin? 👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast at https://www.restrictedhandling.com/ to get a daily intel brief on Russia, China, Iran, Economics/Sanctions, Espionage, and more In this Restricted Handling quickie, Ryan Fugit and Glenn Corn break down CIA Director John Ratcliffe's reported eight-hour visit to Moscow and what it could mean for the war in Ukraine. Speaking from Ukraine, Glenn separates the known facts from the speculation surrounding the trip. Ryan and Glenn assess the messages Ratcliffe may have delivered, why Washington chose the CIA channel, and whether pressure from the Trump administration could restart negotiations. In this episode, we cover: • What Ratcliffe may have been sent to tell Moscow • Possible warnings involving sanctions, NATO, Black Sea ports, and Iran • Why Russia values intelligence backchannels to the White House • Why Trump may have chosen Ratcliffe instead of Witkoff or Kushner • Zelensky's political position and Ukraine's internal turmoil • The unusual arrival of a security officer as the senior U.S. diplomat in Kyiv • Ukrainian morale following Independence Day • Patriot interceptors and air defense cooperation with London • Possible ceasefire terms involving Crimea and Russian energy infrastructure This conversation explores whether intelligence diplomacy backed by credible pressure can move Russia toward negotiations without allowing Moscow to use talks to buy time on the battlefield. Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Cold open: The reported warning to Putin • 00:09 Ryan and Glenn begin the Restricted Handling quickie • 00:56 Glenn checks in from Ukraine • 01:49 John Ratcliffe's reported eight-hour Moscow visit • 02:08 What Washington may have told Putin • 03:51 Kremlin denial and the reported ceasefire framework • 04:40 Why Moscow values intelligence backchannels • 07:03 Why Ratcliffe instead of Witkoff or Kushner? • 07:57 Is Zelensky's political position getting weaker? • 08:19 Internal turmoil and the new U.S. diplomatic representative • 09:30 Ukrainian Independence Day and the danger of internal division • 10:19 Patriot interceptors and cooperation with London • 10:49 Could negotiations restart? • 11:07 Crimea, energy strikes, and possible ceasefire terms How to find Glenn Corn Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer and multi-time Chief of Station in some of the world's most difficult posts. You can find him at the Institute of World Politics (https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/) or his consultancy at Great South Bay Consulting (https://greatsouthbayinc.com/). Restricted Handling https://www.restrictedhandling.com/

    CIA Director Warns Putin | Glenn Corn's Perspective from the Region | Retired CIA Case Officer/CoS
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Former CIA officers get experts insights on Russia, China, Iran, North Korea; international security, geopolitics, military, intel operations, sanctions and economic power plays. Get deeper daily analysis on Substack at https://substack.com/@restrictedhandling. Find daily intel brief podcasts on Russia, China, and Iran at https://open.spotify.com/show/6Kb9BYk98BEmeHVpgWiklG

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