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/