RH 6.11.26 | Russia: WWI Marker, EU Jockeying, Oil Squeeze

👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast https://www.restrictedhandling.com/ The war in Ukraine has now officially lasted longer than World War I, and that milestone sets the stage for one of the most important discussions we've had in a while. In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, Ryan and Glenn break down what that historic marker actually means for Russia, Ukraine, Europe, and the future of warfare. This is no longer a war measured in weeks or months. It is a test of industrial capacity, political endurance, military adaptation, and national will. We dig into the growing debate inside Europe over who should represent the continent in negotiations with Moscow. France, Germany, Britain, Italy, and Poland are all aligned on supporting Ukraine, but there is increasing discussion about who gets a seat at the table and who speaks for Europe as the war enters another long phase. The diplomatic maneuvering happening behind the scenes may prove just as important as events on the battlefield. We also examine Russia's increasingly difficult balancing act in the Middle East. Moscow wants to maintain its strategic partnership with Iran while preserving valuable relationships with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and other Gulf states. As tensions around Iran continue to affect energy markets, Russia finds itself trying to maximize economic benefits without becoming trapped by regional politics. On the economic front, Russia's budget deficit is growing rapidly. Oil and gas revenues are falling while wartime spending continues to climb. We discuss what the latest numbers tell us about the sustainability of Russia's war economy, why some economists are questioning official Russian industrial data, and what it means when defense production continues to expand while civilian sectors struggle. The episode also covers Vladimir Putin's latest move to increase pressure on exiled Russians through new property seizure authorities, continued recruitment challenges facing the Russian military, and what those developments reveal about the Kremlin's long-term outlook. Meanwhile, Ukraine is continuing its strategy of attacking the systems that support Russia's war effort. Rather than focusing solely on frontline combat, Kyiv is targeting logistics, oil infrastructure, military production facilities, transportation networks, and supply routes deep inside Russian-controlled territory. We explain why these strikes matter and how they are changing the strategic landscape. You'll also hear about the growing importance of drones, new Ukrainian air defense developments, Russia's efforts to adapt, and why military planners around the world are studying this conflict more closely than almost any war since the Cold War. Finally, we cover Russian military activity around Kostyantynivka, intelligence operations occurring far from the battlefield, and how both Russia and Ukraine are increasingly fighting across economic, political, technological, and information domains. If you want the context behind the headlines and the strategic implications that most news coverage misses, this episode is for you. 👉 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.