Restricted Handling Podcast

Ryan Fugit

Former CIA officers with extremely experienced guests talk 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. How Russia Evades Sanctions & What Still Works with Economic Security Council of Ukraine Expert

    2d ago ·  Video

    How Russia Evades Sanctions & What Still Works with Economic Security Council of Ukraine Expert

    Exclusive Coveron discount: https://coveron.com/rhpod or use the code "rhpod" at checkout. Sanctions are reshaping Russia's war economy, but only when enforcement turns pressure into real cost. 👉 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 episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, Glenn Corn and Ryan Fugit sit down with Roman Steblivskyi, Senior Director for Policy and Advocacy at the Economic Security Council of Ukraine, to break down what sanctions are actually doing to Russia's war machine. Roman explains why sanctions can be symbolic, why some still work, and how Russian procurement networks use cutouts, shell companies, Turkey, China, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, and other routes to keep military supply chains moving. The conversation also digs into oil and gas pressure, the debate over secondary sanctions, the limits of EU consensus, and what Washington, Brussels, and London should focus on next. In this episode, we cover: • Why sanctions are not enough unless enforcement follows • How Russia uses long, expensive supply chains to evade controls • CNC machines, dual-use goods, and why civilian technology matters on the battlefield • Belarus as a sanctions loophole and strategic problem • The Lindsey Graham sanctions package and secondary pressure on Russian oil buyers • Why EU sanctions policy is constrained by member-state politics • Whether sanctions should ever be lifted as part of negotiations • Shadow fleet enforcement, strategic minerals, and next steps for the sanctions coalition Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Glenn introduces Roman Steblivskyi and the sanctions focus • 02:25 What the Economic Security Council of Ukraine does • 04:25 Symbolic sanctions versus sanctions that change Russian behavior • 06:37 Sanctions evasion and the real cost of longer supply chains • 08:18 How evasion can double Russia's procurement costs • 12:18 Which countries Russia uses to evade sanctions • 13:49 What CNC machines are and why Russia needs them • 15:43 Belarus, sanctions relief, and Russia's war logistics • 20:18 Lindsey Graham's sanctions package and Russian oil buyers • 23:00 Why enforcement matters more than announcement • 28:28 The EU problem, Hungary, Slovakia, and divided sanctions policy • 31:56 How weak is the Russian economy really? • 33:48 Should sanctions be lifted if Russia negotiates seriously? • 37:39 Dual-use technology, drones, cyber tools, and future controls • 40:45 Why sanctions relief must depend on real Russian steps • 41:32 Shadow fleet enforcement and NATO maritime pressure • 42:21 Strategic minerals and Russia's military supply chain • 43:36 Compliance, end-user audits, and secondary sanctions • 45:45 Closing thoughts and a possible China follow-up About Roman Steblivskyi Roman Steblivskyi is the Senior Director for Policy and Advocacy at the Economic Security Council of Ukraine, an independent non-governmental organization focused on sanctions policy, Russian capital, supply chains, and economic tools to restrict Russia's military-industrial capacity. 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/). Find more from Restricted Handling: https://www.restrictedhandling.com/

    47 min
  2. Russia's Dirty War: Ukraine Air Defense Commander Breaks Down Combat Innovation w/ CIA CoS/SIS (ret)

    Jun 8 ·  Video

    Russia's Dirty War: Ukraine Air Defense Commander Breaks Down Combat Innovation w/ CIA CoS/SIS (ret)

    FROM KIEV...Retired CIA Senior Officer sits down with Ukrainian air defense officer who explains what modern war really looks like from the front line. 👉 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 Glenn Corn sits down in Kyiv with Artist, a Ukrainian officer in an air defense unit in Ukraine's Third Corps, after another major Russian air attack across Ukraine. The conversation moves from the human cost of Russia's strikes to the tactical reality of defending the front against drones, glide bombs, missiles, and rapidly evolving Russian tactics. Artist was born in Odessa in 1991 and was working as an artist, sculptor, and designer before volunteering in 2014. He explains how Ukraine's war forced a generation to trade normal lives for defense of the country, why Russia's attacks have hardened Ukrainian society rather than broken it, and what Western militaries should learn from Ukraine's front-line innovation cycle. In this episode, we cover: • Russia's latest mass air attacks on Ukraine and the cost to civilians • Artist's path from Odessa artist and designer to Ukrainian officer • Why the Third Corps and Azov became his chosen unit • Russian drone tactics, fiber-optic UAVs, and the expanding depth of the front • How Ukrainian air defense pushes Russian aviation back from the line • Why Ukraine's innovation comes from the front line first • What NATO and U.S. air defense officers should learn from Ukraine • Why modern war is dirty, fast, adaptive, and often without rules • Odessa, Maidan, Ukrainian resilience, and the fight for freedom • China's view of Russia and why Beijing may be willing to watch Russia exhaust itself • Iran, Russia, Ukraine, and the emerging security architecture • Why Ukraine matters as a future U.S. partner This is a direct look at the war through the eyes of someone living the operational reality every day: adaptation, mobility, resilience, and the price of freedom. Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Glenn opens from Kyiv after major Russian attacks • 01:54 Artist's background before the war • 02:47 Odessa, art, design, and giving up a peaceful life • 04:26 Artist's time working in China • 05:34 China, Russia, and long-term strategic thinking • 06:59 Why Artist joined Azov and followed Andriy Biletsky • 08:27 The Third Corps and Artist's air defense role • 09:21 Assessing Russian drone capabilities • 11:14 Integrated tactical air defense on the front • 12:23 How front-line dynamics differ across Ukraine • 13:17 Fiber-optic UAVs and the problem of countermeasures • 14:22 Glide bombs, Gripens, and pushing Russian aircraft back • 15:47 Ukrainian strikes on Crimea logistics • 16:32 Iran, oil prices, and Russia's economic advantage • 17:55 What NATO air defense officers should learn • 18:35 Ukraine's bottom-up military innovation cycle • 21:09 Why Western militaries must prepare for dirty war • 22:51 Odessa, Russian-speaking Ukrainians, and resilience • 25:22 Maidan, independence, and rejecting Russia's model • 28:15 What Artist thinks about U.S. support for Ukraine • 32:55 Russia, Iran, and why Ukraine matters to Americans • 33:40 Artist's favorite musicians and Ukrainian bands • 34:45 Artist asks why Russia started the war • 38:25 Artist's view of the collapsing global security system • 40:21 Glenn on Ukraine as a critical U.S. partner • 43:07 Closing from Kyiv About Artist Artist is the callsign of a Ukrainian officer serving in an air defense unit in Ukraine's Third Corps. Born in Odessa in 1991, he studied art and design, worked as a sculptor and interior designer, and volunteered for military service in 2014. In this episode, he discusses his service, his experience with Azov and the Third Corps, and the realities of tactical air defense in Ukraine's war against Russia. 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/

    44 min
  3. Glenn Corn Just Left Ukraine: Russia Is Under Pressure, But This War Is Spreading and Ukraine Has Cards

    Jun 4 ·  Video

    Glenn Corn Just Left Ukraine: Russia Is Under Pressure, But This War Is Spreading and Ukraine Has Cards

    Fresh from Ukraine, Glenn Corn lays out what Kyiv is feeling now, where Russia is vulnerable, and why the drone war is no longer staying on the battlefield. 👉 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 talks with Glenn Corn as Glenn calls in from Warsaw after a week in Ukraine, including stops tied to the Black Sea Security Conference in Odessa and a security conference in Kyiv. Glenn describes the human cost of Russia's continued strikes, Ukraine's expanding drone campaign, the pressure building around Putin, and why Kyiv believes it has to build more of its own air defense solutions. The conversation also moves beyond Ukraine into the wider conflict space: Russian influence operations, pressure on Armenia and Belarus, Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, FPV drones, NATO air defense gaps, Lebanon, Gulf economic strain, and Cuba's deepening crisis. In this episode, we cover: • Glenn's readout from Kyiv, Odessa, and Warsaw after his latest Ukraine trip • Russia's ongoing drone and missile strikes against Ukrainian cities • Ukraine's growing FPV drone impact on Russian logistics • Why Ukraine still needs interceptors, but is building its own systems • Putin's pressure points after the Saint Petersburg economic forum • Russian disinformation and the American influencer information war • Why Glenn says the U.S. should double down on pressure against Russia • European concerns about U.S. reliability and NATO deterrence • Armenia, Belarus, Syria, and Russia's pressure around the periphery • Iran, oil prices, Ukraine's counter drone expertise, and Middle East lessons • Hezbollah's FPV drone use and the threat to Israel • Why Glenn warns U.S. critical infrastructure is no longer protected by geography • Lebanon, Hezbollah's arms, and the risk of letting Iranian proxies reconstitute • Why Ukraine remains inspiring, but cannot be pushed out of focus Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Glenn calls in from Warsaw after leaving Ukraine • 00:15 Odessa, Kyiv, Russian strikes, and the death of a two year old • 01:11 What Ukraine feels like on the ground right now • 01:31 Ukraine's FPV drone strikes against Russian logistics • 02:24 Air defense shortages, interceptors, and Russian missile attacks • 03:17 Ukraine's own air defense systems and the KAB threat • 04:46 Laura Loomer, Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, and Russian disinformation • 05:19 Russian hardliners pushing back on Putin • 06:19 Is Putin under pressure or running a disinformation play? • 07:10 What Glenn would tell the administration now • 08:49 European doubts about U.S. reliability and NATO deterrence • 09:48 Ukraine's EU path, Armenia, and pressure on Russia's periphery • 10:25 Syria, Armenia, Belarus, and the northern border threat • 11:20 Iran, oil prices, and Ukraine's view from the security summits • 11:52 Ukraine's counter drone lessons for the U.S. and NATO • 12:55 Ryan's reaction to FPV drone footage from Ukraine • 13:54 Hezbollah, Iran, Russia, and drone warfare spreading • 15:22 Lebanon, nuclear talks, and Hezbollah as a bargaining chip • 17:35 Ukraine, Dubai, Gulf strain, and Cuba's blackouts 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/

    19 min
  4. Is China Really Going to Take Taiwan & Trump-Xi-Putin Summit Outcomes w/ China Expert Lyle Goldstein

    May 24

    Is China Really Going to Take Taiwan & Trump-Xi-Putin Summit Outcomes w/ China Expert Lyle Goldstein

    A Taiwan crisis may be closer, more complex, and more dangerous than Washington wants to admit. 👉 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 is joined by Professor Lyle Goldstein, Director of Brown University's China Initiative, longtime scholar of Chinese and Russian military strategy, former U.S. Naval War College professor, and founding director of the China Maritime Studies Institute. They break down the recent Trump-Xi summit, Xi's engagement with Putin, the China-Russia strategic relationship, Taiwan's role in U.S.-China tensions, and what a real Taiwan contingency could look like. In this episode, we cover: • Why great-power summits still matter • How China views Taiwan as the core flashpoint • Whether China is preparing for a 2026 or 2027 Taiwan move • What PLA purges may really signal • Why an invasion may start with firepower, helicopters, drones, and special forces • How blockade scenarios compare to full invasion • Why prediction markets are pricing Taiwan risk • Why Lyle rejects the "peak China" argument • What the U.S. administration should understand about China, Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan This episode matters because Taiwan is where U.S. deterrence, Chinese nationalism, military geography, semiconductor anxiety, alliance commitments, and escalation risk all collide. About Lyle Goldstein Professor Lyle Goldstein is Director of Brown University's China Initiative, a longtime scholar of Chinese and Russian military strategy, a former professor at the U.S. Naval War College, and the founding director of the China Maritime Studies Institute. In the episode, he also notes his work at Defense Priorities, a Washington think tank focused on realism and restraint. Restricted Handling https://www.restrictedhandling.com/   Lyle Goldstein books and resources Target Taiwan: Challenges for a U.S. intervention https://www.defensepriorities.org/explainers/target-taiwan-challenges-for-a-us-intervention/ The New Cold War at Sea: Maritime Implications of the China-Russia Quasi-Alliance https://www.usni.org/press/books/new-cold-war-sea Meeting China Halfway: How to Defuse the Emerging US-China Rivalry https://press.georgetown.edu/Book/Meeting-China-Halfway Preventive Attack and Weapons of Mass Destruction: A Comparative Historical Analysis https://www.sup.org/books/politics/preventive-attack-and-weapons-mass-destruction Chinese Aerospace Power: Evolving Maritime Roles https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-studies/5/ China, the United States and 21st Century Sea Power: Defining a Maritime Security Partnership https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-studies/4/ China Goes to Sea: Maritime Transformation in Comparative Historical Perspective https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-studies/3/ China's Energy Strategy: The Impact on Beijing's Maritime Policies https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-studies/2/ China's Future Nuclear Submarine Force https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-studies/1/ China's Nuclear Force Modernization https://paperzz.com/doc/7936415/china-s-nuclear-force-modernization Five Dragons Stirring Up the Sea https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15889049W/Five_dragons_stirring_up_the_sea Not Congruent but Quite Complementary: U.S. and Chinese Approaches to Nontraditional Security https://www.andrewerickson.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/China-Maritime-Study-9_US-China-NTS-Perspectives_Goldstein_201207.pdf   Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Ryan introduces Lyle Goldstein and the China-Taiwan focus • 01:46 Defense Priorities Taiwan series and the Trump-Xi summit setup • 02:26 Why great-power summits matter and who gained leverage • 05:11 How China-Russia ties shape the summit backdrop • 06:00 Taiwan at the center of U.S.-China relations • 11:34 Taiwan, chips, AI, and invasion timelines • 12:49 China's preparations and the 2026 or 2027 question • 15:01 PLA purges and what they may signal about Xi's control • 19:54 Breaking down the military dimensions of a Taiwan invasion • 20:30 Blockades, gray-zone coercion, and U.S. intervention risk • 22:40 Would China target civilian infrastructure? • 23:23 Helicopters, special operations forces, and the first day of war • 25:35 Airborne insertions, casualties, and drone resupply • 28:30 Why an invasion may not look like U.S. amphibious doctrine • 33:06 Would Taiwan become an insurgency? • 38:22 Prediction markets and the odds of invasion or blockade • 41:28 What Lyle would tell the U.S. administration about China • 46:53 Closing thoughts and where to find Lyle's work

    48 min
  5. Ryan & Glenn: Trump and Xi Test Each Other as Taiwan, Iran, and Ukraine Collide

    May 15

    Ryan & Glenn: Trump and Xi Test Each Other as Taiwan, Iran, and Ukraine Collide

    Trump and Xi are testing each other over Taiwan, Iran, and global leverage while Russia, Ukraine, and China's influence operations keep reshaping the map. 👉 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 break down the latest in U.S.-China talks, China's pressure over Taiwan, Ukraine's battlefield innovation, Iran's maximalist negotiating posture, and Chinese influence operations inside the United States. In this episode, we cover: • Trump and Xi in Beijing, Taiwan, and the risk of miscalculation • China's position on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, and weapons support • Ukraine's battlefield gains, AI-enabled air defense, and anti-corruption pressure • Iran's nuclear demands, sanctions relief, and Gulf security • Chinese influence operations at the municipal level in the U.S. • The role former intelligence officers could play as ambassadors • Mexico, cartels, Russian presence, and the southern border • What Ryan and Glenn are reading right now • AJ Pasciuiti's new book Darkhorse and the sniper story behind it This episode matters because the same strategic contest is showing up everywhere: great-power diplomacy, battlefield adaptation, maritime chokepoints, local influence operations, and the fight to keep open societies from being exploited. Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Ryan introduces Restricted Handling and Glenn's background • 01:23 Glenn's Breitling hat, family memories, and lucky charms • 04:41 Ryan's lost Omega story from North Africa • 05:34 Trump and Xi in Beijing, Taiwan, and handshake betting markets • 08:02 Glenn on Taiwan, risk, and Putin's Beijing signal • 09:18 China, Iran, Hormuz, and weapons support claims • 12:20 Ambassador Satterfield and running a country team • 14:19 Ukraine ceasefire claims and Zelensky's humor • 16:41 Ukraine's net battlefield gains and innovation • 17:56 Palantir, AI models, drones, and Ukrainian adaptation • 19:48 NATO, EU accession, and Ukraine's desired U.S. relationship • 21:26 Yermak, corruption, transparency, and Russian talking points • 23:34 Iran's negotiating demands and Trump's rejection • 24:58 Hormuz, naval coalitions, and Gulf partners • 26:49 Chinese influence operations in Arcadia and Manhattan • 29:43 Glenn on public service, ambassadors, and former CIA officers • 32:17 Mexico, cartels, CIA reporting, and Russian presence • 35:21 What Ryan and Glenn are reading • 36:49 AJ Pasciuiti's Darkhorse and the sniper story behind the book About AJ Pasciuiti AJ Pasciuiti is a 21-year Marine, Force Recon Scout Sniper, Marine officer, author, speaker, and host of Combat Story. His book Darkhorse: Harnessing Hidden Potential in War and Life is available May 19, 2026. Order Darkhorse on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Darkhorse-Harnessing-Hidden-Potential-Life/dp/1400254973 Learn more about AJ and Darkhorse https://www.ajpasciuti.com/ Darkhorse book page https://www.ajpasciuti.com/book 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/

    41 min

  6. May 10

    Iran, China, Russia, and U.S. Strategy w/ Amb David Satterfield and CIA Officer (Ret) Glenn Corn

    Ambassador David Satterfield lays out why the Middle East crisis is not just about Iran, Gaza, or the Strait of Hormuz, but about whether the U.S. still knows how to run serious national security policy. 👉 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 are joined by Ambassador David Satterfield, director of Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and a former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Lebanon, for a wide-ranging conversation on the Middle East, Iran, China, Russia, Ukraine, Syria, diplomacy, and the machinery of U.S. foreign policy. Satterfield argues that classic military power is struggling against asymmetric actors like Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, and that kinetic force alone cannot deliver strategic outcomes without political frameworks, patience, and a functioning national security process. In this episode, we cover: • Why Iran's Strait of Hormuz threat has become a global economic weapon • Why Satterfield now believes leaving the JCPOA was a mistake • The limits of military power against Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran • How the collapse of State Department and NSC capacity affects crisis management • Why Syria policy required bold decisions, but also needs a team to sustain gains • Why China is the most formidable U.S. adversary • How Saudi Arabia, the UAE, energy, critical minerals, and China fit together • Why Satterfield would advise against rushing into a Beijing summit • Putin's Victory Day ceasefire, Ukraine's position, and Russia's gains from the Hormuz crisis • What Yitzhak Rabin and James Baker taught Satterfield about leadership, principle, and diplomacy This is a masterclass in strategic patience, national security process, and the danger of confusing tactical strikes with strategy. Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Ambassador David Satterfield joins Ryan and Glenn • 02:04 How chaotic is the Middle East right now? • 03:03 UAE, Saudi Arabia, OPEC, and regional change • 05:36 Why asymmetric actors frustrate classic military power • 08:30 Gaza, Hezbollah, and the missing political framework • 11:18 Why leaving the JCPOA was a mistake • 13:49 Trump, Israel, and the decision to confront Iran • 17:08 Iran turns the Strait of Hormuz into a global weapon • 20:00 Why strikes have not eliminated Iran's missile and drone capacity • 24:10 Why tweets cannot manage strategic adversaries • 25:35 Why State and the NSC cannot function without teams • 26:35 Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Tom Barrack's role • 32:15 Bold policy needs sustainment • 36:55 Tom Barrack, Lebanon, Syria, and speaking bluntly • 39:26 How Satterfield would advise Trump before a China trip • 41:11 China's technical, industrial, and espionage challenge • 44:08 Saudi Arabia, China, and the real logic behind the U.S.-Saudi deal • 48:30 Why Satterfield would tell Trump not to go to Beijing yet • 51:25 Putin's Victory Day ceasefire and Ukraine • 55:55 Russia benefits from the Strait of Hormuz crisis • 59:10 Should Ukraine strike during the Victory Day parade? • 1:03:09 The real issue: how to conduct national security policy • 1:04:44 Rabin, Baker, and the most interesting figures Satterfield worked with • 1:08:33 Satterfield's work at Rice University's Baker Institute About David Satterfield Ambassador David M. Satterfield is the director of Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and leads its Edward P. Djerejian Center for the Middle East. He has more than four decades of diplomatic and leadership experience, including service as U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Lebanon, assistant secretary of state, National Security Council staff director, special envoy for the Horn of Africa, and chargé d'affaires in Iraq and Egypt. Baker Institute profile https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/david-m-satterfield Rice University profile https://profiles.rice.edu/staff/david-satterfield 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/

    1h 12m

  7. May 3

    How Russia Negotiates, Putin's Trap, Iran's Bluff, Drone Lessons Missed w/ Retired CIA Officer Glenn Corn

    Retired CIA Chief of Station and Senior Case Officer Glenn Corn argues the crises in Ukraine, Iran, Cuba, and the Strait of Hormuz are connected fronts in one larger fight. 👉 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 are back for a no-guest episode covering Ukraine, Russia, Iran, espionage, drones, Cuba, China, and the geopolitical pressure points that are moving fast right now. Glenn opens with his recent trip to Ukraine, where he escorted an American business delegation and spoke at the Kiev Security Forum alongside senior intelligence and national security figures. From there, Ryan and Glenn dig into how Moscow negotiates, why Putin's ceasefire offer around May 9 should be treated skeptically, and why Glenn believes the United States and Europe still have more leverage over Russia than many people think. In this episode, we cover: • Glenn's latest trip to Ukraine with American investors and business leaders • Why Glenn sees Russia and Iran as linked strategic threats • How Russian negotiators use maximalist demands, theater, and psychological pressure • Julie Davis, US diplomatic coverage in Ukraine, and why Kyiv needs a full-time ambassador • Putin's May 9 Victory Day messaging and the history Russia leaves out • Russian and Iranian low-level espionage in Europe • The UAE, OPEC, and the Strait of Hormuz crisis • Why Glenn argues for an international naval force to reopen the straits • Iran's nuclear negotiations, political pressure, and the lessons of Ukrainian counter-drone warfare • Cuba sanctions, Venezuela, Nicaragua, China, and authoritarian pressure in the Western Hemisphere • China's drone swarm threat and America's procurement problem This episode matters because Glenn frames these crises as part of a broader strategic contest, not isolated news cycles. Russia, Iran, China, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela are applying pressure across multiple fronts, and the United States and its allies are still deciding how hard, how fast, and how coherently they are willing to respond. Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Ryan opens the episode with Glenn back stateside • 01:01 Glenn's Ukraine trip with an American business delegation • 03:27 Kiev Security Forum and the Russia-Iran connection • 08:24 How Russian negotiators use maximalist demands • 12:15 Sanctions, Kirill Dmitriev, and pressure on Putin • 16:06 Julie Davis and why Ukraine needs a full-time US ambassador • 19:42 Territorial concessions and why Glenn says Russia is not holding the cards • 22:23 Victory Day, Soviet history, and Operation Snow • 26:59 Why Putin's May 9 ceasefire offer benefits Moscow • 28:30 Russian and Iranian espionage cases in Europe • 33:37 UAE, OPEC, and the Strait of Hormuz shock • 36:06 The case for an international naval force • 39:21 Iran's nuclear bluff and missed drone lessons • 43:03 Cuba sanctions and pressure in the Western Hemisphere • 45:50 China, AI, drone swarms, and US procurement gaps • 49:23 Upcoming guests and how to reach Glenn • 51:21 Wrap 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/

    53 min

  8. Apr 20

    Russia Losing 2,300 Drones Per Month: Inside Drone Defense + New Tactics w/ Ukrainian Commander Zhan

    This is what modern warfare actually looks like from the front lines. 👉 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 episode, Ryan Fugit and Glenn Corn are joined by Zhan, a deputy commander in Ukraine's Third Army Corps, responsible for air defense operations on one of the most complex battlefields in the world. Zhan went from serving in the merchant navy to defending Ukraine on the front lines and is now at the center of one of the most important evolutions in modern warfare. This is not theory. This is real-time adaptation under fire. In this episode, we cover: • What the battlefield in Ukraine actually looks like today • How drones have completely changed warfare • The three-layer air defense system Ukraine built in real time • Why logistics and medevac are now some of the biggest challenges • How soldiers survive in underground positions for weeks or months • The shift from "golden hour" to "golden months" in battlefield medicine • Why FPV drones are now the most dangerous threat • How Ukraine is training civilians and veterans to fight with drones • The connection between the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East • What Ukraine needs most right now from Western allies Zhan explains how Ukrainian forces are adapting faster than any military in modern history and why this war is shaping the future of global conflict. He also shares a deeply personal perspective on what it means to fight for your country and what comes after the war. Timeline / chapters • 00:00 Intro and Glenn's Ukraine trip • 05:13 How the war in Iran is affecting Ukraine • 12:04 Zhan joins from Kyiv • 13:07 Zhan's background and role in air defense • 18:39 Drone warfare and naval adaptation • 22:29 How fast soldiers can be trained on drones • 26:26 Layered air defense explained • 31:27 Logistics and medevac challenges • 36:35 Evolution from Bakhmut to today • 44:18 Comparing early war vs current battlefield • 53:27 Integration of UAVs and command systems • 58:27 Ukraine's view of the global war • 01:00:38 Zhan on the future of Ukraine About Zhan Zhan is a deputy commander in Ukraine's Third Army Corps specializing in air defense operations. He previously served in the merchant navy and joined the military at the start of the full-scale invasion. He has participated in major battles including Bakhmut and Avdiivka and is now leading efforts to build modern counter-UAV and air defense systems in Ukraine. 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 Subscribe and receive the daily intelligence brief https://www.restrictedhandling.com/

    1h 6m
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About

Former CIA officers with extremely experienced guests talk 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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