RH 4.10.26 | Russia: Drones, Oil Strikes, and the Orbán Showdown

👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast https://www.restrictedhandling.com/ In today's episode, we're diving into the latest twists in Russia's ongoing struggle to maintain its power both at home and abroad. We're talking drones, oil strikes, and the political showdown in Hungary that could shift the balance in Europe. It's a jam-packed episode, so let's get right into it. Ukraine's drone game is stronger than ever. Over the past month, Ukrainian forces have been hammering Russian energy infrastructure, and it's working. The drones are making serious impacts, forcing Russia to rethink its defense strategy. Ukrainian forces have targeted key oil terminals, hitting places like Novorossiysk and Ust-Luga. These attacks are costing Russia billions, and with their air defense systems running low on ammo, Russia's struggle to protect its energy resources is becoming more evident. And it's not just Ukraine's drone strikes that are causing headaches for Russia—the growing sophistication of Ukrainian drones is pushing the tech envelope, with mini-jet engines becoming a crucial piece of their strategy. Meanwhile, Russia's looking for new allies as its influence in Europe starts to fade. The Kremlin's got its sights set on Hungary's elections, hoping to keep Viktor Orbán in power. Orbán has been Putin's man in Europe for years, and losing him would be a big blow to Russia's influence. The US has shown support for Orbán, adding another layer to this high-stakes geopolitical drama. But there's a twist—Orbán's challenger, Péter Magyar, is gaining momentum. It's a tense race, and Russia's watching closely to see which way it will go. Back in Russia, things aren't going smoothly on the internal front either. The country's economy is taking a major hit, with the budget deficit already surpassing the yearly target in just the first quarter of 2026. A large part of that deficit comes from plummeting oil revenues, a direct result of Ukraine's strategic strikes on Russia's energy sector. Morale in the military is also slipping, and internal security operations, including the FSB's recent moves to disrupt Ukrainian sabotage inside Russia, show just how fragile things are. This episode packs a punch with these big-picture developments, but we also break down how Russia's battle isn't just against Ukraine—it's also against the rising pressure from within and around the world. 👉 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.