RH 2.23.26 | Russia Missiles, EU Fractures, Nuclear Warnings & Lviv Bombing

👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast  https://www.restrictedhandling.com/  In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down one of the largest Russian strike packages in months as Moscow launched 297 drones and 50 missiles across Ukraine just days before the fourth anniversary of the invasion. Hypersonic Zircons from Crimea. Iskander ballistic missiles. Kh-101 cruise missiles. And this time, Russia expanded its target set beyond energy infrastructure to include rail logistics and municipal water systems. That is not random. That is strategic pressure.  We also unpack the deadly IED attack in Lviv that killed 23-year-old police officer Viktoria Shpylka and injured 25 others. Ukrainian officials say Russian special services were behind the operation. If confirmed, this marks an escalation in sabotage operations far from the active frontline and raises serious questions about Moscow's broader destabilization strategy inside Ukraine.  Then we zoom out to the geopolitical chessboard.  Hungary is threatening to block the European Union's 20th sanctions package over a dispute involving the Druzhba oil pipeline. Slovakia is talking about cutting emergency electricity exports to Ukraine. Energy politics inside the EU are suddenly front and center again, and Russia benefits every time Brussels struggles to reach consensus.  We also dig into nuclear signaling after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned Estonia that Russia would aim nuclear weapons at the country if NATO stations nuclear assets there. This comes just after the expiration of the New START treaty and President Vladimir Putin declaring Russia's nuclear triad an absolute priority. The Baltic region is once again part of the nuclear conversation.  Outside Europe, Russia's growing defense ties with Iran are raising eyebrows, including reports of a major MANPADS deal. Meanwhile, North Korean troops remain in the fight alongside Russian forces. China continues serving as Moscow's economic backstop, absorbing energy exports and supplying dual-use components that keep Russia's defense industry humming.  We also cover Ukraine's deep strike campaign inside Russian territory, drone attacks that disrupted energy infrastructure in Belgorod, and the broader diplomatic push from the United States to revive peace talks.  This episode connects the missiles, the diplomacy, the energy politics, the nuclear rhetoric, and the global alliances shaping the next phase of the war in Ukraine.  If you follow international security, NATO, Russia, China, Iran, European politics, or the evolving military balance in Eastern Europe, this one is packed.  👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast  https://www.restrictedhandling.com/    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.