RH 12.11.25 | Russia: Trump's Deal, Pokrovsk Burns, Drones Hit Deep, China Circles

Buckle up — this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast is loaded. From Trump's backroom peace play to Ukrainian sea drones taking down Russian tankers, it's been one of the most dramatic 24 hours of the war yet. We dive headfirst into the wild intersection of war, money, and power — where Putin's empire looks more like a mob movie running out of cash, and China quietly slips into the driver's seat.  In this episode, we're breaking down the shocking details of Trump's new "peace plan" — a deal cooked up in Florida that could reshape Europe's future. We're talking $200 billion in frozen Russian assets, Wall Street's fingerprints all over the blueprint, and a Kremlin so happy you can practically hear the champagne corks popping in Moscow. We unpack how Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff walked into the Kremlin for five hours of "diplomacy" and walked out with a plan that might just let Putin back into Europe's economy. But not everyone's cheering — Zelenskyy's threading the line between resistance and realism, while Europe's leaders are fuming over what they're calling an economic Yalta.  Meanwhile, on the front lines, Pokrovsk is still on fire — literally and figuratively. We've got updates straight from the battlefield as Ukrainian forces dig in against Russian mechanized assaults that look more like Mad Max than modern warfare. The Russians are trying to storm the city on motorcycles and ATVs, while Ukrainian drones are lighting them up in precision strikes that have even Russian bloggers calling it "a black day for the assault troops."  And in the Black Sea? Ukraine's going full pirate mode — and winning. Their Sea Baby drones have crippled yet another Russian oil tanker, the third in two weeks. The message: Russia's war chest just sprung another leak.  Back in Moscow, Putin's economy is cracking under pressure. Inflation's biting, oil revenues are down 22%, and the Kremlin's response is to tax everyone, print rubles, and call it stability. The public mood? Done. Russians are quietly admitting the war isn't heroic anymore — it's just exhausting.  We also pull the curtain back on China's growing shadow in all this — from joint bomber patrols near Japan to backroom deals with Putin that make it clear Beijing's getting more out of this "partnership" than Moscow ever will.  If you want the day's most informed, fast-paced, and fearless take on the Russia-Ukraine saga, this is your episode.  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit restrictedhandling.substack.com/subscribe