Podcasts about Baltic

In this episode of The Moon in Carolina, host Shelby Bundy explores the mythology of the sun — the deities across world traditions who were understood to carry the light, fight for it, and in some cases withdraw it entirely. We look at Ra, the Egyptian sun god who sailed his barque through the underworld each night and battled the serpent Apophis before every dawn could come. At the Greek figures of Helios and Apollo, who represent two very different ideas about what the sun actually means. And at Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess whose retreat into a cave plunged the world into darkness — and what it took to bring her back. We also look at the tradition that tends to get overlooked: the feminine sun, and the Norse, Celtic, and Baltic goddesses who held the light before the solar mythology we inherited took its current shape. 

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls for greater pressure on Russia, and stronger Europe and U.S. roles in peace talks.

fWotD Episode 3314: SMS Westfalen Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Monday, 1 June 2026, is SMS Westfalen.SMS Westfalen was one of the Nassau-class battleships, the first four dreadnoughts built for the German Imperial Navy. Westfalen was laid down at AG Weser in Bremen on 12 August 1907, launched nearly a year later on 1 July 1908, and commissioned into the High Seas Fleet on 16 November 1909. The ship was equipped with a main battery of twelve 28 cm (11 in) guns in six twin turrets in an unusual hexagonal arrangement.The ship served with her sister ships for the majority of World War I, seeing extensive service in the North Sea, where she took part in several fleet sorties. These culminated in the Battle of Jutland on 31 May – 1 June 1916, where Westfalen was heavily engaged in night-fighting against British light forces. Westfalen led the German line for much of the evening and into the following day, until the fleet reached Wilhelmshaven. On another fleet advance in August 1916, the ship was damaged by a torpedo from a British submarine.Westfalen also conducted several deployments to the Baltic Sea against the Russian Navy. The first of these was during the Battle of the Gulf of Riga, where Westfalen supported a German naval assault on the gulf. Westfalen was sent back to the Baltic in 1918 to support the White Finns in the Finnish Civil War. The ship remained in Germany while the majority of the fleet was interned in Scapa Flow after the end of the war. In 1919, following the scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow, Westfalen was ceded to the Allies as a replacement for the ships that had been sunk. She was then sent to ship-breakers in England, who broke the ship up for scrap by 1924.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:03 UTC on Monday, 1 June 2026.For the full current version of the article, see SMS Westfalen on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Joanna.

Silicon Bites Ep344 | 2026-05-29 | The Institute for the Study of War's assessments through May 2026 have documented, with consistent emphasis, that Russia is "escalating its efforts to set informational conditions for possible future aggression against the Baltic states." The 19-21 May 2026 unannounced Russian strategic nuclear exercises, which ISW characterised as "using unannounced strategic nuclear exercises to posture strength against Ukraine's allies and distract from mounting battlefield weaknesses," coincided with Putin's Beijing summit and the Kallas-acknowledged Russian effort to "divide Ukraine from its European partners and diminish support for Ukraine's defensive effort." The September 2025 incursion of three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets into Estonian airspace for 12 minutes without permission was, in Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna's framing, "a blatant, reckless, and flagrant" violation. The German Navy's vice admiral Jan Christian Kaack told The Times this month that NATO faces a "rapid threat" from Russia in the Baltic Sea, and that "a possible escalation will occur in the maritime domain."----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SOURCES:----------

The Crusades reshaped Europe far beyond Jerusalem — and we've forgotten itFor most people, the Crusades begin and end with Jerusalem, Richard the Lionheart and Saladin. But that narrow view hides a far bigger story. In this episode of History Rage, medieval archaeologist Professor Aleks Pluskowski takes aim at the myth that crusading was confined to the eastern Mediterranean — and reveals how crusades transformed northern and eastern Europe in ways that still shape the modern worldDrawing on decades of archaeological research and historical evidence, Aleks explains how the Baltic Crusades were longer, more successful, and ultimately more influential than those in the Levant. From the rise of the Teutonic Order to the foundation of cities like Riga and Tallinn, this conversation exposes a forgotten chapter of European history that fundamentally reshaped societies, borders and identitiesYou'll hear why crusading was a papally authorised penitential war, how it expanded beyond Jerusalem to target pagans, heretics and political enemies, and why northern Europe became the Crusades' most enduring battlefield. Aleks also unpacks the diversity of pre-Christian belief systems in the Baltic, the realities of conquest and settlement, and how crusading ideology became a template for later colonialism and modern nationalist mythsThe episode also tackles how the Teutonic Order evolved from a humble hospital in Acre into a powerful military state, why it succeeded where the Levantine Crusader states failed, and how its image was later distorted by 19th-century nationalism and Nazi propaganda. This is not just military history — it's a story about how Europe learned to dominate, govern and remember its pastIf you think you know the Crusades, this episode will make you rethink everything.Guest: Professor Aleks PluskowskiProfessor of Medieval Archaeology, University of ReadingAleks Pluskowski is a leading authority on crusading in northern Europe, with extensive fieldwork experience across Poland and the Baltic region. His research focuses on material culture, landscapes of conquest, and the long-term impact of crusading societies.BookThe Black Cross: The Medieval Baltic CrusadesBuy here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780300279061About History RageHistory Rage is the podcast that hunts down historical myths and kicks them into the long grass. Hosted by Paul Bavill, each episode invites leading historians to vent their fury at what everyone gets wrong about the past — loudly, passionately, and with evidence.Follow History RageTwitter / X: https://twitter.com/historyrageFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/historyrageInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrageSupport the podcastJoin the rage on Patreon for bonus content, livestreams and early access:https://www.patreon.com/historyrageOr support via Apple Podcasts Subscriptions for ad-free listening and early releases.If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend and bring someone new aboard the rage train. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2026-05-28 | UPDATES #208 | How the May 26th Pentagon announcement may just have handed Putin the greatest strategic gift of the 21st century. A prize that barely could have been conceived of before Trump returned to the White House. 26–27 May 2026 — a third of us jets pulled from NATO, destroyers cut, every submarine withdrawn, drones slashed — and Russian forces drilling for Baltic operations in the same week. As I predicted in 2025, Europe is now on its own. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Der Spiegel (via Military Times) — "Report: US to cut strategic bombers and warships available to NATO in a crisis" (26 May 2026)RT — "US plans to slash contributions to NATO – Spiegel" (26 May 2026) Daily Mail (via PapaLinc/Intel Drop syndication) — "Trump's secret NATO ultimatum sparks panic as US 'pulls jets, bombers and EVERY submarine from Europe'" (26-27 May 2026)CNN Politics — Natasha Bertrand, "US military withdrawing some troops from Eastern Europe" (29 October 2025) The Hill / Yahoo News — "GOP chairs blast Trump's move to pull troops from Romania" (October 2025) CBS News — "Trump administration's Europe troop drawdown fuels concern amid NATO allies, draws fire even from Republicans" (October 2025) — Estonia's Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur statement on continued US commitment; Pentagon's "force posture adjustment will not change the security environment in Europe" framing; "primary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe" languagePBS NewsHour / AP — "U.S. to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany in next 6 to 12 months" (May 2026)CNN Politics — "Trump is cutting the numbers of US troops in Europe. Here's how" (14 May 2026)Fox News — "Congress moves block Pentagon from cutting US troops Europe South Korea" (late 2025/early 2026) House Armed Services Committee / Wicker.senate.gov — "Chairmen of Senate and House Armed Services Committees: We Strongly Oppose the Pentagon's Decision to Scale Back the U.S. Troop Presence in Romania" (29 October 2025) Yahoo News / The Hill — "Pentagon cuts troops in Eastern Europe, prompting rare pushback by GOP lawmakers" (October-November 2025) ----------

European officials and intelligence agencies warn that Russia’s war in Ukraine could spill over, with the Baltic states seen as a vulnerable frontline where Moscow might test NATO or escalate tensions. The report highlights growing fears across Europe that even a pause in the Ukraine conflict could shift Russian military focus toward neighboring NATO countries, raising the risk of a wider regional conflict. Officials are encouraging people to use vote centers or ballot drop boxes instead of USPS mailboxes, since mailing late could risk ballots not arriving on time. early voting is underway locally, with more locations opening as Election Day gets closer, and officials want voters to return ballots safely and early to avoid delays. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

European officials and intelligence agencies warn that Russia’s war in Ukraine could spill over, with the Baltic states seen as a vulnerable frontline where Moscow might test NATO or escalate tensions. The report highlights growing fears across Europe that even a pause in the Ukraine conflict could shift Russian military focus toward neighboring NATO countries, raising the risk of a wider regional conflict. Officials are encouraging people to use vote centers or ballot drop boxes instead of USPS mailboxes, since mailing late could risk ballots not arriving on time. early voting is underway locally, with more locations opening as Election Day gets closer, and officials want voters to return ballots safely and early to avoid delays. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this Land Warfare episode, sponsored by American Rheinmetall, Dr. Gian Gentile, a retired US Army colonel who is now a senior historian at the Rand Corporation think tank's Arroyo Center, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the latest on the Ukraine war including on the role of unmanned ground vehicles, lessons from the conflict, how armies learn lessons and whether the US Army is inculcating those lessons in its $252 billion 2027 spending request, how the need for more powerful electromagnetic and air defense capabilities as well as drones for surveillance will shape future vehicles, his new Korea Regional Review article “Ukraine War Ground Combat and its Implications for a Possible Future War Along the Korean DMZ,” the threat posed by Russia as Moscow continues to fight in Ukraine and increasingly provoke NATO's Baltic nations, priorities for Europe as nations rebuild their ground combat capabilities, and the role of land forces in the IndoPacific.

Drone incursions over the Baltic states have caused their first major political casualty: the collapse of Latvia's government following the resignation of Defence Minister Andris Sprūds. But is the political fallout proportionate to the actual threat? And what do Baltic societies make of it all?Wojciech Przybylski speaks with Dmitri Teperik, Resilient Futures Fellow at Visegrad Insight, joining from Narva on the Russian border. They discuss the political immaturity driving overreactions, the gap in intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, Russian disinformation framing the attacks as Baltic-originated, and the 18-month window before the Baltic Drone Wall becomes operational in early 2028.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9qoaeRr2YwgSubscribe to Visegrad Insight for access to all our content, live and online events: visegradinsight.eu. Use code VISEGRAD35 for 35 per cent off a yearly subscription: https://visegradinsight.eu/membership-account/membership-levels/Visegrad Insight is powered by the Res Publica Foundation, Warsaw.

In a recent episode of this podcast, Ross dives into the world of the Jones Act, a federal law that's been around since the early 1900s. This law has a significant impact on the US shipping industry, making it difficult for Americans to trade and do business with each other. The guest, Colin Grabow, Associate Director at the Cato Institute's Center for Trade Policy Studies, joins the conversation to break down the law's effects and explore its history. The Jones Act requires that any goods moved by water within the US must be transported on a vessel that meets specific criteria, including being US-flagged, owned by Americans, crewed by Americans, and built in the US. However, this leads to a limited number of ships meeting these conditions, resulting in higher transportation costs and a "tax" on domestic commerce. The law has been waived temporarily by President Trump, allowing for the importation of energy products, but its long-term effects on the US economy remain unclear. Colin Grabow shares some striking examples of how the Jones Act affects trade, including the fact that Puerto Rico buys more fuel from the Baltic countries than from the US, despite being farther away. He also highlights the law's failure to create a competitive US shipbuilding industry, citing the country's ranking of 19th in the world in shipbuilding. The conversation raises important questions about the law's continued existence and its impact on the US economy. With the temporary waiver in place, it's clear that there are benefits to be gained from repealing the Jones Act. If you're interested in learning more about this complex issue and how it affects the US, tune in to this episode to hear the full conversation with Colin Grabow.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

VOV1 - Chủ tịch Ủy ban châu Âu Ursula von der Leyen sẽ đến Litva vào ngày thứ 3 (26/5) tới sau một loạt vụ xâm nhập bằng máy bay không người lái buộc người dân nước này phải tìm nơi trú ẩn an toàn.Chủ tịch Von der Leyen dự kiến ​​sẽ gặp gỡ các nguyên thủ quốc gia và người đứng đầu chính phủ các nước Baltic để hỗ trợ điều phối ứng phó. Một quan chức giấu tên cho biết, ngoài việc thể hiện tinh thần đoàn kết với các quốc gia Baltic, chuyến thăm của chủ tịch Ủy ban châu Âu sẽ tập trung vào việc tăng cường năng lực quốc phòng chung thông qua các chương trình tài chính và lập kế hoạch trọng điểm của EC.Trước đó, Litva đã ban hành cảnh báo trên không sau khi phát hiện một máy bay không người lái lạc gần biên giới nước này với Belarus , dẫn đến việc kích hoạt nhiệm vụ tuần tra không phận Baltic của NATO. Vụ việc xảy ra sau khi hai máy bay không người lái của Ukraine bị rơi xuống một kho chứa dầu ở Latvia hồi đầu tháng này. Ngoài ra, một máy bay chiến đấu của NATO đã bắn hạ một máy bay không người lái trong không phận Estonia tuần trước.Trong một thông điệp truyền tải trên trang cá nhân, bà Von Der Leyen bày tỏ sự ủng hộ và đoàn kết của Liên minh châu Âu đối với các quốc gia khu vực Baltic. Trong khi đó, ba quốc gia Baltic đã cảnh báo bác bỏ các chiến dịch thông tin sai lệch từ bên ngoài và những cáo buộc vô lí sau các vụ vi phạm không phận vừa qua.Vào tháng 2, EU đã bắt đầu khởi động một kế hoạch tăng cường lực lượng cho các quốc gia tiền tuyến trong bối cảnh lo ngại về cuộc xung đột ở Ukraine và các chiến thuật hỗn hợp có nguy cơ gây thiệt hại cho nền kinh tế khu vực. Ủy ban châu Âu cũng đang xây dựng các kế hoạch giúp các quốc gia tăng cường khả năng phòng không thông qua các chương trình mua sắm và phát triển chung./.Hải Đăng/ VOV SÉCẢnh minh họa.

The man who helps finance Europe's defence: Robert de Groot, vice president of the European Investment Bank There is a particular kind of power that comes with someone who decides, quietly, which ideas get funded and which don't. Robert de Groot, and his team, holds that power over an extraordinary range of things: military bridges in Poland, rocket launchers in Spain, satellite-to-smartphone startups in Luxembourg, drone intelligence software in Estonia. As Vice President of the world's largest multilateral lender, the EIB sitting on the Kirchberg plateau, his brief covers security, defence, space, and innovation. It is, as he puts it with characteristic understatement, "quite a new direction" for a bank that, not long ago, wouldn't touch defence at all. That has changed. Dramatically. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EIB has rewritten its mandate, opening five distinct financing pillars across the defence and security ecosystem, from large-scale infrastructure to venture equity for startups building things that didn't exist five years ago. De Groot has spent the last two years touring every European capital, sitting down with defence, finance, and interior ministers, and asking “What does Europe actually need, and can we finance it?” "The urgency I hear in private is far greater than what you see in public." What he found on the road was a continent with a perception gap. The Baltic states are operating in a different psychological reality from much of western Europe. For Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the threat from the east is not geopolitics but geography. However, de Groot is cautiously optimistic. Germany has made a near-complete reversal on defence spending in three years. The Nordics have joined NATO. Ministers of Interior are now showing up to defence finance meetings, because the boundary between military security and civil security has dissolved. Cyber attacks, compromised energy grids, sabotaged undersea cables are happening now. The physical problems, meanwhile, are startlingly concrete. Bridges that cannot carry battle tanks. Ports unable to defend against unmanned underwater vehicles. Roads along NATO transit routes from Antwerp through Germany deep into Poland that haven't been maintained to handle today's military hardware. "It sounds absurd," de Groot says, "until you realise it's a multi-billion euro problem." The financing exists. The fixes are underway. But getting three countries to agree on a shared corridor before one of them goes its own way remains the harder challenge. For innovators and entrepreneurs building the dual-use technologies that now sit at the heart of European defence strategy, de Groot offers a map through the financing ecosystem. Early stage? Venture capital funds backed by the European Investment Fund. Series A and B? Venture debt, a product barely known in Europe five years ago, now scaling fast, with Luxembourg companies OQ Technology and Artec 3D among its beneficiaries. Series C and beyond? The European Tech Champions Initiative, designed explicitly to stop European unicorns from decamping to California. And for defence tech specifically, a new Defence Equity Facility of up to one billion euros: real, patient, European capital, with no American relocation clause attached. "The companies I meet across Europe mostly want to stay. We need to make sure the financing is there when they do." On the day of interview, a loan was signed for the Luxembourg Fire Brigade's logistics infrastructure. Security exists at multiple scales simultaneously, from orbital launch capability to the speed at which a fire engine reaches a crisis. Both matter and both require investment. Both represent the same underlying bet: that Europe, if it chooses to move with enough conviction, is more than capable of defending and financing its own future. De Groot, for his part, seems to believe it. The question, as ever, is whether the institutions can move as fast as the moment requires. Robert de Groot is Vice President of the European Investment Bank, responsible for Security, Defence, Space and Innovation Finance.

Anatol Lieven discusses the resignation of Latvia's Prime Minister following air defense failures. Ukrainian drones targeting Russia have been transiting Baltic airspace, leading to Russian threats of retaliation. Lieven explores the risk of unintended escalation between NATO and Russia amidst suspicions of Baltic-Ukrainian cooperation regarding these drone flight paths. (1/16)

SCHEDULE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 5-21-2026.1943 USA INFORMATION WAR.Anatol Lieven discusses the resignation of Latvia's Prime Minister following air defense failures. Ukrainian drones targeting Russia have been transiting Baltic airspace, leading to Russian threats of retaliation. Lieven explores the risk of unintended escalation between NATO and Russia amidst suspicions of Baltic-Ukrainian cooperation regarding these drone flight paths. (1/16)Following meetings in Beijing, Vladimir Putin seeks to finalize a gas pipeline to China to offset lost European markets. Anatol Lieven notes that while trade in dual-use technology grows, China remains cautious about full military escalation. Russia's involvement in the Iran and Ukraine wars complicates its position, as it lacks spare weaponry for Iran. (2/16)Russia has resumed military cargo shipments to Syria for the first time since the al-Sharaa government took power. Ahmad Sharawi explains that President al-Sharaa is balancing relations with Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine to rebuild his military. Tensions remain regarding the integration of foreign jihadist groups, such as al-Qaeda affiliates, into the new Syrian army. (3/16)Mary Anastasia O'Grady reports that the U.S. has imposed sanctions on GAESA, a shadowy military-controlled conglomerate dominating 70% of Cuba's economy. The company manages retail, ports, and foreign currency, including billions allegedly gained through human trafficking of medical personnel. These financial restrictions aim to pressure the regime toward democratic transition and have already impacted foreign investors. (4/16)Evan Ellis reports that Bolivia faces nationwide protests and blockades over austerity measures and fuel shortages. President Rodrigo Paz attempts reconciliation, but former President Evo Morales is accused of destabilizing the government to avoid child trafficking prosecution. While La Paz faces resource shortages, the eastern lowlands remain calm, highlighting a deep regional and political divide. (5/16)Evan Ellis characterizes protests in Bolivia as an organized "coup in motion" funded by coca growers' unions. Figures like Evo Morales and rivals within the government benefit from dismantling reforms. The instability threatens counter-drug efforts and allows criminal organizations to flourish while the government struggles to maintain order amidst resource blockades. (6/16)Evan Ellis reports that the U.S. Justice Department has indicted 94-year-old Raul Castro for the 1996 murder of "Brothers to the Rescue" pilots. The indictment serves as leverage in transition negotiations. Meanwhile, Russia and China pledge support to Cuba, and the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier signals a potential shift toward selective military pressure. (7/16)Evan Ellis reports that Venezuela has surrendered Alex Saab, Nicolas Maduro's former bagman, to the U.S. for prosecution. Saab possesses critical information on illicit financial flows involving Iran, Cuba, and Colombia. Delcy Rodriguez's decision to extradite him suggests a complex internal power play to appease Washington while eliminating her own political rivals. (8/16)Peter Mauch explores the early life of Hideki Tojo, focusing on his failed 1945 suicide attempt and the military code prohibiting the disgrace of surrender. Born into a samurai-descended family, Tojo's ambitions were fueled by the perceived mistreatment of his father by a cronyist military system, leading him to excel academically. (9/16)Peter Mauch explains that during the 1930s, the Japanese army split into the "Imperial Way" and "Control" factions. The Imperial Way prioritized morale and the Emperor, while Tojo's Control faction advocated for "total war" preparation involving all state resources. This rivalry turned murderous, culminating in assassinations and coup attempts against the civilian government. (10/16)Peter Mauch explains that in 1937, the Marco Polo Bridge incident sparked conflict between Japan and China. While Tokyo sought de-escalation, the Kwantung Army, including Tojo, pushed for escalation and conquest. Chiang Kai-shek's refusal to surrender drew the Japanese military into a "quicksand" interior, creating an inescapable and draining quagmire for the army. (11/16)Peter Mauch explains that as War Minister, Tojo—nicknamed "The Razor"—instilled iron discipline within the fractious Japanese army to earn the Emperor's favor. He consolidated political power by centralizing military communication and cashiering insubordinate officers. Meanwhile, Japan eyed the defenseless Southeast Asian colonies of European powers, determined not to "miss the bus." (12/16)Veronique de Rugy argues that tariffs function as taxes paid by Americans, with costs passing to consumers at a 96% rate. Despite promises to revive manufacturing, employment in that sector has continued to decline. The policy is described as a "catastrophe" resulting in billions in unconstitutional levies that require federal refunds. (13/16)Sadanand Dhume reports that the BJP's landslide victory in West Bengal marks a significant defeat for longtime leader Mamata Banerjee. Her neglect of the economy and corruption allegations led to her ouster. This victory signals Narendra Modi's regained political strength, cracking opposition bastions and positioning India as a vital alternative in global supply chains. (14/16)Anatoly Zak reports that despite sanctions and corruption scandals, Russia successfully launched the Soyuz-5 rocket, a joint project with Kazakhstan designed to replace Ukrainian technology. While international commercial prospects have vanished, Russia is pivoting toward domestic military payloads. Development continues on the Angara family of rockets, though the program faces significant spacecraft production delays. (15/16)Anatoly Zak reports that Russia has successfully tested the Sarmat, a heavy liquid-propellant ICBM designed to target the United States. Capable of carrying up to 20 maneuverable warheads, it replaces the Ukrainian-built "Satan" missile. While technologically complex and using toxic propellants, it represents Russia's commitment to maintaining a formidable strategic nuclear deterrent. (16/16)Notes: corrected "Akmed Sharawari" → Ahmad Sharawi; "Alshara" → al-Sharaa (Syrian president). Flag if you prefer alternate transliterations.

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Iran's massive internet blackout is now crippling the country's economy, threatening millions of jobs and deepening the regime's ongoing financial crisis. We'll explain how Tehran's digital crackdown is beginning to paralyze commerce, banking, and daily life across the country. Russia warns Latvia could face retaliation over claims that Ukrainian drone operations are being launched from Baltic territory. Latvian officials are calling the accusations “pure fiction,” but the rhetoric is raising new concerns about tensions between Moscow and NATO. The United States and United Kingdom are easing some sanctions on Russian oil, citing rising global fuel costs linked to the Iran conflict and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. In today's Back of the Brief—a US-bound flight is forced to divert after officials discover a passenger from an Ebola-hit region onboard. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.  YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Tax Relief Advocates: End your tax nightmare today by visiting us online at https://TRA.com or call 800-583-6515 DeleteMe: Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/PDB and use promo code PDB at checkout. Chapter: Compare every medicare plan call 915-671-5252 today! Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan's contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don't directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact https://Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Talk Eastern Europe, Adam and Nina discuss growing fears of escalation as drones cross into NATO territory, Lithuania issues emergency shelter alerts, and Russia deepens ties with China during Vladimir Putin's visit to Beijing. They also unpack the political implications of Hungary's new Prime Minister Péter Magyar, the possible revival of the Visegrad Group, and Russia's latest move inTransnistria.For our patrons, Adam and Nina look closer at the latest developments in Transnistria and interpret what it might mean for the near future. Want to listen to the full version of this episode? Become apatron: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeABOUT THIS PODCASTWe publish twice weekly:- Every Tuesday: Expert Interviews featuring deep dives with leading analysts, journalists, and scholars- Every Friday: Weekly News Roundup with essential updates and commentary on the latest developmentsRead the New Eastern Europe Magazine Bimonthly publication with exclusive long-form analysis.→ Become a member: https://neweasterneurope.eu/become-a-member-of-new-eastern-europe/Support us on PatreonJoin our community for bonus content, early access, behind-the-scenes insights, and access to our exclusive WhatsApp group where we discuss the news in real-time.→ Join the Talk Eastern Europe community: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeSign up for the Brief Eastern Europe NewsletterWeekly briefing sent out every Monday with news updates, expert commentary, and our editorial picks - free to your inbox. →Subscribe: https://briefeasterneurope.eu/subscribeFOLLOW USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/neweasterneuropemag/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewEasternEurope/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-eastern-europe/

In this week's Autopsy, we dissect a recent DW News segment featuring Eugene Rumer, a Russia and Eurasia expert from the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, reacting to Russia's claim that Ukraine is launching drone strikes on Russian territory from Latvia.The segment is a near-perfect specimen of Western Bubble analysis: selective, one-sided, and structurally incapable of asking the questions that actually matter. Rather than interrogating why we are where we are, or what NATO's increasingly entangled relationship with Ukraine means for Baltic security, Rumer defaults to the comfortable framework of vulnerable small states versus an existentially threatening Russia. The fact that NATO outspends Russia by a factor of ten to one receives considerably less attention.We break down the subtle but telling rhetorical trick at the heart of the segment: the word "alliance" shifts meaning depending on the sentence, referring sometimes to NATO's collective defence obligation and sometimes to the broader coalition supporting Ukraine, two very different things with very different implications. This blurring is not accidental. It is precisely how the Western Bubble sustains its own internal logic.We also discuss what a Carnegie Endowment for Peace analyst should actually be doing: not cheerleading for one side, but seriously engaging with Russia's strategic calculus, Ukraine's interest in drawing NATO deeper into the conflict, and the very real consequences of discriminating against Russian minorities in the Baltic states. Understanding is not sympathy. Complexity is not propaganda. And an institution with "Peace" in its name arguably has an obligation to at least try.This podcast is an individual project between us, Dario Hasenstab and Balder Hageraats. We are supported by our producer Stefani Obradovic from Western Bubble Insights & Strategy. If you would like to get in touch with us, write us an email at thewesternbubble@gmail.com.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Latvia has been providing massive support to war-torn Ukraine. Like Estonia and Lithuania, this small Baltic state is among the European countries hosting the highest number of Ukrainian refugees relative to its population. Our reporters Valentine Patry and Hugo Laridon went to Latvia to meet some of those who are helping Ukrainians.   

The countries along NATO's eastern flank have long been on the frontline against Russian aggression. But now they are in the firing line between Ukraine's long-range drones and targets in northwest Russia. Nick Schifrin spoke with Latvia's foreign minister and reports on NATO's efforts to defend itself against a growing drone threat. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Washington warns Moscow over its escalating rhetoric toward Latvia as Nato’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, rejects Russia’s claims that Baltic states could soon allow Ukrainian drone attacks from their territories. Plus: how rebel groups and Isis-backed insurgents are hampering efforts to contain the new Ebola outbreak.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GLOBAL CONFLICT WARNINGS AND THE FIGHT FOR SELF-SUFFICIENT COMMUNITIES JC Cole joins Trent Loos from New Jersey for a hard-hitting conversation about rising global tensions, economic instability, and the growing need for resilient local communities. The discussion begins with serious concerns surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including reports that Latvia and Estonia may be allowing Ukraine to use their airspace for strikes against Russian targets. Trent and JC warn that escalating tensions in Eastern Europe could put the Baltic nations at risk and spark even greater international conflict. They also examine why New York City's role as a global financial hub makes it strategically vulnerable during times of war and economic uncertainty. The conversation then shifts to America's mounting debt crisis, supply chain breakdowns, and the dangers of relying too heavily on fragile global systems. JC stresses the urgent need for communities to become more self-sufficient by securing local food, water, medicine, and energy resources before a larger collapse occurs. Trent emphasizes the importance of unity and preparedness as outside forces continue to divide Americans politically and culturally. Together, they explore historical lessons, the role of gold and silver during economic turmoil, and why petroleum remains one of the most powerful resources shaping world events. This episode delivers a powerful warning about global instability while encouraging viewers to strengthen their communities and prepare for uncertain times.

Drones have become a part of everyday life for many Ukrainians. Now, they're showing up in the airspace of Baltic countries. On Wednesday, people in Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, were instructed to take shelter when drone activity was detected near the border with Belarus. The day before, a NATO jet shot down a Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia. This followed an incident earlier this month when two drones hit an empty oil facility in Latvia. It's still not clear exactly how these drones are ending up in Baltic airspace, but some analysts believe the drones could be autonomously choosing their targets – a potential first in warfare. Mark MacKinnon is the Globe's senior international correspondent. He's here to explain what we know so far about how these drones are ending up in NATO countries, and what the implications are for the next phase of the Russia-Ukraine war. Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The countries along NATO's eastern flank have long been on the frontline against Russian aggression. But now they are in the firing line between Ukraine's long-range drones and targets in northwest Russia. Nick Schifrin spoke with Latvia's foreign minister and reports on NATO's efforts to defend itself against a growing drone threat. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Nick the Rat Radio Episode 540 Nick the Rat is sick, pantsless, and on a mission. Episode 540 kicks off with a rant about Google Maps burying street names under business ads, a meditation on robot Frank and his box-flipping career, and some hard questions for John Stewart about who actually gets paid. Then things get deep — literally. Nick dives into the surge of mass whale strandings since 2023, the string of mysterious Baltic Sea cable cuts, NATO's Operation Baltic Sentry, and DARPA's real-life living sensor program that uses ocean animals as military surveillance tools. The dots start connecting in ways that will keep you up at night. Also on tonight's program: the 60-meter unidentified object sitting on the Baltic seafloor that kills electronics and breathes water, a Canadian-Norwegian oil company that found Poland's biggest oil deposit ever on their very first drill, a CIA whistleblower testifying about the COVID lab leak cover-up, and Jane Hanoi returns with a special report that is absolutely not safe for the lactose intolerant. Featuring music from Zillion Instruments, Nav Day, Free Beat Vault, Froggy 5, 44 with Dudley Boys, and more. Value for value — if you got something out of it, send something back. A paranoid rat discusses conspiracies, secret agendas, and things they don't want you to know — while playing hand-picked underground music. Call in live: 1-917-719-5923 Originally aired: 05/20/20 All music is Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0). All artists are credited during the episode. For more info: www.nicktherat.com

Day 1,545.Today, after a NATO fighter jet shoots down a suspected Ukrainian drone over Estonia, we examine the mounting risks of escalation on NATO's eastern flank and what the incident reveals about the increasingly crowded skies above the Baltic region. We also look at reports of a collapse in Russian defensive lines near a settlement in Zaporizhzhia as Ukraine presses its counterattacks in the south. Then we turn to Moscow to assess how the Kremlin and Russian state media are reporting – or not – news of Ukraine's major strikes on Russian infrastructure ahead of Putin's high-stakes visit to China. And later, we take a deep dive into how investigations into war crimes have evolved over the past four years.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.With thanks to Yevhenia Motorevska – head of the War Crimes Investigation Unit at the Kyiv Independent.NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:The drone attacks Putin doesn't want Russians to see (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/19/drone-attacks-putin-doesnt-want-russians-see-ukraine/ Xi Jinping told Donald Trump that Putin might ‘regret' invasion of Ukraine (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/567c57b0-6346-43e6-9d14-840a793b4d1d?syn-25a6b1a6=1 Dom's Video On the Frontline:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-LWZtJBCwY From the Kyiv Independent's War Crimes Investigation Unit: The War Before the War, Part I: https://kyivindependent.com/video/?slug=crimea-the-war-before-the-war-part-2From Stalin to Putin – Russia's history of torture: https://youtu.be/p7Ei6mAf3mQExposing Russia's indoctrination of Ukrainian children: https://youtu.be/RZGmv2EQdGkInvestigation: Uncovering the secret Russian FSB operation to loot Ukraine's museumshttps://kyivindependent.com/investigation-uncovering-fsbs-secret-operation-to-steal-ukraines-valuable-art/The Kyiv Independent doesn't have a paywall or an owner and is supported by acommunity of readers who make this work possible. Starting today, the Kyiv Independent team is on a quest to find 4000 new members globally. You can become a member here. EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Russian position 'collapses' in southeastern townThe drone attacks Putin ‘doesn't want you to see' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we alone? In this short-isode, Elton traces the bizarre, hilarious, and occasionally unhinged history of humanity's quest for alien communication. From Frank Drake's Equation in 1961, a mathematical roadmap for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), to the times before radio, when our ideas were pure fantasy: he dives into the wild ideas and scams. Like, the 19th-century scheme to burn massive geometric messages onto the surface of Mars using a gargantuan, laser-focused mirror. For real.From those ambitious, largely insane, early visual signals to the iconic messages we've strapped to spaceships—we've spent centuries leaving a very expensive voicemail for an unknown recipient.We also explore the cosmic artifacts and phenomena that made us stop and whisper, "Is someone calling us?" Learn the true story behind the Black Knight Satellite (spoiler: it's an escaped blanket), the enduring mystery of the Wow! Signal, and the strange case of 'Oumuamua, the cigar-shaped interstellar visitor.Finally, we confront the ultimate cosmic buzzkill: the Fermi Paradox. If the galaxy should be crowded, "Where is everybody?" We discuss the terrifying ethical debate over intentional messaging (METI) and the chilling logic of the Dark Forest Theory. Tune in to find out why, even in crushing silence, we simply cannot stop shouting "Hello?" into the dark.GET THE BOOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠From Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠From an Indie Book Seller⁠⁠⁠⁠BECOME AN Elton Reads A Book A Week CONTRIBUTOR HERE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elton Reads A Book A Week Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me A Coffee!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SOCIAL MEDIA!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This is the LINK TREE!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Discord server!⁠⁠⁠EMAIL: eltonreadsabookaweek@gmail.comThe following section is reserved for the people, places, things, and more that Elton probably offended in this episode--THE APOLOGIES SECTION: Martians, New Yorkers...again, TalkToAliens.com users, UFO conspiracy theorists, etc.A special thanks to Diedrich Bader and Jenna Fischer for all their inspiration.Tags: Drake Equation, Fermi Paradox, SETI, METI, Extraterrestrial Intelligence, Frank Drake, Cosmic Silence, Voyager Golden Records, Pioneer Plaques, Arecibo Message, Alien Communication, Interstellar Communication, Charles Cros, Wow! Signal, Black Knight Satellite, 'Oumuamua, Dark Forest Theory, UFO, Space Mystery, Long Delayed Echoes (LDEs), Baltic, Martian Lasers, Nikola Tesla, Cosmic Chat, Alien Conspiracies, Commercialization of Space, Space Hoaxes, Science Podcast, Short-isode, Elton Reads a Book a Week, Books and Reading, Infotainment, learning, fun, comedy, history

This week, we review the pleasantly robust results from global beer companies during the first quarter of 2026. More importantly, we bid adieu to a dear friend and longtime contributor, Francois Sonneville.  For those wanting to thank Francois for years of fantastic industry coverage, please reach out: FSonneville@yahoo.co.uk.  We discuss individual company results at the following timestamps:  Heineken (7:32): Results are stable heading into a leadership transition. AB InBev (15:44): Revenue, volumes, and EBITDA are all well ahead of expectations. RTDs, Michelob, and Busch are filling the gap left by Bud Light.  Constellation Brands (24:20): Business is stabilizing following a tough year in 2025. Royal Unibrew (32:22): Despite strong results from a highly diversified business, the headline was the loss of the PepsiCo business in Denmark, Finland, and the Baltic states, which account for nearly one-sixth of company revenue.   Carlsberg (38:40): Both volume and revenues grew, with strong performance in the UK as the integration of Britvic goes forward. The headline is the switch from Coca-Cola to PepsiCo in Denmark and Finland and taking on the Baltic states from Royal Unibrew.  Molson Coors (48:20): Volume is down, but revenues are flat with improved EBITDA, though costs pressures – aluminum in particular – remain a headache.      Have a question, qualm or story to tell, reach out via email: Bourcard.Nesin@Rabobank.com Sign up to access our written research: RaboResearch sign-up   Note: The content and opinions presented within this podcast are not intended as investment advice, and the opinions rendered are that of the individuals and not Rabobank or its affiliates and should not be considered a solicitation or offer to sell or provide services.   Disclaimer: Please refer to our global RaboResearch disclaimer at https://www.rabobank.com/knowledge/disclaimer/011417027/disclaimer for information about the scope and limitations of the material published on the podcast. 

In this episode of Baltic Ways, Dr. Indra Ekmanis speaks with Professors Violeta Davoliūtė and Ene Kõresaar about their contributions to a special issue of Slovak Ethnology. Co-edited by Davoliūtė, the issue focuses on slow memory. Kõresaar, together with colleague Kristi Jõesalu (who contributed to this episode outside of the recording), brought comparative research on slow conflict in Baltic history museums and the representation of Russophone minorities to the issue. The discussion also explores the academic value of slowing down in research and how this contrasts with the broader pressures to publish quick results.Image: Wikipedia | NacionalinismuziejusBaltic Ways is a podcast from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, produced in partnership with the Baltic Initiative at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of AABS or FPRI. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fpribalticinitiative.substack.com

How has Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine reshaped theidentity and political outlook of Russian-speaking communities in the Baltic states?In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Alexandra Karppi speaks with Ieva Birka from the University of Latvia in Riga about new research on Russian speakers in Latvia and Estonia, the growing security concerns facing the region, and the challenges of social cohesion in an era of hybrid threats and geopolitical tension.Support us on PatreonJoin our community for bonus content, early access, behind-the-scenes insights, and access to our exclusive WhatsApp group where we discuss the news in real-time.→ Join the Talk Eastern Europe community: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeCheck out the New Eastern Europe Magazine Bimonthly publication with exclusive long-form analysis. → Become a member: https://neweasterneurope.eu/become-a-member-of-new-eastern-europe/Free ArticlesRead our latest analysis at neweasterneurope.eu Sign up for the Brief Eastern Europe NewsletterWeekly briefing sent out every Monday with news updates, expert commentary, and our editorial picks - free to your inbox. → Subscribe: https://briefeasterneurope.eu/subscribe FOLLOW USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/neweasterneuropemag/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewEasternEurope/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-eastern-europe/Twitter/X: https://x.com/NewEastEurope

Send us Fan MailOn Inside Geneva, we look at weapons contamination and the harm it causes.“We have at least one casualty every single day in Afghanistan – someone killed or injured –and it is most likely a child,” says Nick Pond, from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. From old conflicts to new.“Ukraine is the breadbasket of Europe and billions of square metres of land are suspected to be contaminated, which means they can't be farmed,” says Paul Heslop, from the UN Mine Action, Ukraine. And from old weapons to new.“This is proliferating well beyond Ukraine. Ukraine and Russia are the two leaders in drone technology, but the level of proliferation is scary,” says Sean Moorhouse, from Mine Action, UN Development Programme. In response to Russian aggression, the Baltic states are pulling out of the landmine convention.“We did not say yes to landmines; we said no to unilateral disarmament constructs,” says Jonatan Vseviov, Secretary General, Estonian Foreign Ministry. But others are joining.“We heard that Lebanon will be joining the convention. This is a massive achievement and a massive push for the convention itself,” says Rana Elias, from the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining. As warfare changes, weapons contamination becomes more complicated. Who is responsible when a weapon fails to hit its target and harms someone years later? Who should pay for the clean‑up? And are we turning away from our opposition to indiscriminate weapons?Join host Imogen Foulkes on Inside Geneva to listen to the full episode. Get in touch!Email us at insidegeneva@swissinfo.chTwitter: @ImogenFoulkes and @swissinfo_enThank you for listening! If you like what we do, please leave a review or subscribe to our newsletter. For more stories on the international Geneva please visit www.swissinfo.ch/Host: Imogen FoulkesProduction assitant: Claire-Marie GermainDistribution: Sara PasinoMarketing: Xin Zhang

Josh Dorfman explains how Planted is turning fast-growing grass into structural building panels now used by DR Horton, the largest home builder in America.In this episode of RealDealChat, Jack sits down with Josh Dorfman, CMO of Planted and founder of climate media company Supercool, to break down one of the most unusual innovations hitting the construction supply chain right now.Planted is replacing traditional lumber and oriented strand board with panels engineered from a perennial grass that grows 10x faster than trees, can be harvested one to two times per year, and locks carbon into the walls of homes rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. Their factory sits inside a former American Spirit cigarette plant in Oxford, North Carolina, and their partner is DR Horton — the builder behind one in every seven homes built in America.Topics covered:How Planted went from a SpaceX engineering team to a working construction materialWhy planting trees alone cannot solve the carbon math at scaleThe perennial grass that out-competes timber on cost, supply chain stability, and carbon captureWhy former tobacco farmers in North Carolina are switching to this cropHow tariffs, Canadian wildfires, and Baltic birch disruptions are accelerating demand for domestic alternativesPlanted's long-term stable pricing model and how it beats commodity timber volatilityThe marketing playbook for a disruptive startup in a slow-moving industryWhy brand fragmentation kills startups even when the product is workingAI tools, bottlenecks, and the entrepreneur lie most founders tell themselvesThis one is for builders, real estate investors, developers, and anyone watching material costs eat into project margins.

At 93, Paul Biya is the oldest head of state in the world. In June he will have been the leader of Cameroon for 44 years and is currently serving his eighth consecutive term. It was announced in April that for the first time in Biya's leadership, the position of vice-president would be created in the country. This new post has drawn attention to the lack of certainty within Cameroon over who will take over from Paul Biya once he is no longer in office. BBC Africa's Paul Njie is from Cameroon himself and has been looking into the story. A Thai drag performer has won the latest series of the television show RuPaul's Drag Race: UK versus The World. Gawdland is the first Thai winner of the all-star series and also the first non-native English speaker to take the title. Her triumph took some by surprise, but for fans of Drag Race, she's seen as a trailblazer for East Asian drag queens. Panisa Aemocha of BBC Thai explains what makes Gawdland such a stand-out performer. Like anyone forced to leave their home country against their will, Russians who've sought asylum abroad face a variety of painful realities. Besides homesickness and the challenges of adapting to a new country, they also cannot safely return home to visit loved ones. For many years, exiled Russians could reunite with Russian family and friends in a wide variety of European and other countries, including the Baltic states. But as the rift between Russia and the rest of Europe deepend in the wake of the war in Ukraine, visa restrictions changed, leaving Russians with only a small handful of countries in which they could meet people from home. Recently, an exiled Russian man in his twenties, Sasha, planned and filmed a unique reunion with Russian friends. BBC Russian's Tatiana Kovtun tells Sasha's story and discusses the online response. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.   Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.   If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

You've likely heard the phrase "singing for one's supper," but how about singing for one's freedom? Nearly forty years ago now, the people of the Baltic states did just that in order to cast off the yoke of Soviet oppression. Lend me your ears (and voices) this week for a look at the Singing Revolution!

 In this episode of The Sound of Economics, host Rebecca Christie talks about the defence industry with Bruegel's Guntram Wolff and journalist Sharon Weinberger, author of the books Imaginary Weapons, The Imagineers of War and the forthcoming Valley of Death. What defence systems are Europe and the US buying? Are countries like Poland and the Baltic states re-inventing how the EU approaches joint defence? How is the defence industry structured and what have been the major changes of the past 20 years? Does Europe really need its own DARPA – the US defence innovation agency? What is the future of joint procurement and how should public policy act? With ongoing wars in Ukraine and Iran, as well as heightened uncertainty in Asia and around the world, these questions are back in the spotlight. Relevant research: Becht, M., J. Mejino-López and G. Wolff (2026) 'Who controls the defence industry?', Working Paper 08/2026, Bruegel Kapstein, E., J. Ospital and G. Wolff (2026) ‘Reforming European defence procurement to boost military innovation and startups', Policy Brief 04/2026, Bruegel Weinberger, S., 'Washington Rewrites the Rules of Funding Technological Innovation', The Wall Street Journal, 20 April 2026 Weinberger, S. (2026) Valley of Death: How Big Tech is the Future of War, Little, Brown and Company

It's the small Baltic state that's no stranger to being invaded - having been occupied by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.But while many hope it will never happen again, there are fears in NATO and beyond that Estonia is next on Vladimir Putin's hitlist.So how is the country preparing for the threat from Russia? And could Estonia really be on the front line of a future war in Europe?Niall is joined by the outgoing UK ambassador to Estonia, Ross Allen.

2026-05-04 | UPDATES #192 | Front line Leningrad. 60 drones over Putin's historic imperial capital and the governor's confession. Pulkovo closes again and Primorsk burns. The night of 2 to 3 May 2026. The Russian Federation's window to the Baltic. The province that contains Saint Petersburg — Russia's second city, Vladimir Putin's hometown, the imperial capital where Romanovs once ruled and where the Bolshevik Revolution began. Above it, between dusk and dawn, more than sixty unmanned aerial vehicles flew north from Ukrainian territory and approached one of the most economically vital pieces of infrastructure in the entire Russian state: the commercial seaport of Primorsk.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (via GlobalSecurity.org) — "Russia Scales Back Victory Day Parade, Citing Ukrainian Drone Attacks" (29 April 2026) The Moscow Times — "What's Behind Russia's Pared-Back WWII Victory Day Parade?" (30 April 2026)The Washington Post — "Russia scales back Victory Day spectacle as Ukraine's reach lengthens" (30 April 2026) Kyiv Post — "Russia Scales Back May 9 Parade to 'Military Lockdown' Format" (3 May 2026)Euronews — "Drone strikes Moscow building just days before Russia's Victory Day parade" (4 May 2026) United24 Media — "Russia Cuts May 9 Parades Across Regions. Here's Why" (2 May 2026) Pravda EU (Russian-language) — Coverage of Russian regional cancellations (2 May 2026) Dagens — "Fear of Ukrainian drones force Moscow into 'military lockdown' ahead of Victory Day parade" (3 May 2026) Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty — "Ukraine Strikes Deep Inside Russia, Tuapse Hit Again" (1 May 2026) ----------

Silicon Bites Ep326 | 2026-04-26 | This is Trump's real plan. Suck weapons out of Europe, leaving it vulnerable to Russia. If you were Vladimir Putin, and you could design the ideal American foreign policy — not overtly pro-Russian, but functionally pro-Russian — what would it look like? If Trump were a Russian asset, what would he be doing differently than he is already doing? Very little, I'd wager. He would start multiple wars that drain American weapons stockpiles and wreck their reputation internationally – among allies and adversaries. He would burn through Patriot interceptors — the one system that both Ukraine and NATO's eastern flank depend on to survive. He would delay weapons deliveries to the Baltic states and Scandinavia — the countries that border Russia. He would pressure European allies to send their own air defences to the Middle East, and maritime military resources, leaving the continent exposed. He would halt new military aid to Ukraine. He would lift sanctions on Russian oil. He would threaten to leave NATO and eject other members from the alliance. He would invite Putin to a summit at a luxury resort and try to normalise Russia's genocidal regime on the world stage. He would punish any ally that refused to cooperate and stir up conflict around the world between allies and adversaries. He would do all of this while calling NATO "useless" and European allies "cowards." Confused and distracted, depleted and disoriented, Europe would be rendered incapable of defending itself when Russia does, finally, choose to strike. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SOURCES:Reuters — "US to delay weapons deliveries to some European countries due to Iran war" (April 17, 2026)Military Times — "US to delay weapons deliveries to some European countries due to Iran war" (April 17, 2026)Kyiv Post — "White House Delays Weapons Deliveries to Europe as Iran War Drains Stockpiles" (April 17, 2026) Aerotime — "US warns European allies of weapons delivery delays as Iran war strains stocks" (April 17, 2026) i24News — "US delaying weapons deliveries to Europe as Iran war strains stockpiles" (April 17, 2026) European Union Institute for Security Studies — "Assessing the damage: What the Iran war really means for Europe's defence" (March 2, 2026)Bloomberg — "Europe Blocks US Military Access Over Trump's Iran War, Straining NATO Ties" (March 31, 2026)----------

Ryan and a Hangry Noah sit down with Paulie from Baltic BladesShout out and huge thanks to our sponsorswww.ameribrade.comwww.pheonixabrasives.comwww.bakerforge.comwww.evenheat-kiln.comwww.texasfarriersupply.comTwo Basterds Smithy & Supplies on instagramCheck out our small business spotlight membersKHDAILY KNIVESROCK SOLID SCALESPELICAN PASTETIMBER TIGER FORGEHIDDEN ROSE FORGE CAD DESIGN Thanks to our monthly supporters Vanden Gaaskjolen Gabe Fletcher Mathern Knives Your Wife's Boyfriend only eats Red Delicious Donald Bryant Mathern Knives Walker Knife Co. Kris Modisette Daniel Smith Jason Posey Evan Dudley Grant Ball Todd Newton-Twin Oaks Forge Coulter Moulton Waltrip knives Waltrip Knives Baker Forge & Tool Bald Man Knife & Tool Clint Long Fingal Greg Nuckols micah dunn Onlyfans @Bencuttsknifeworks Just Brad @brads_customs David Burke Brent Dignam AmeriBrade Travis Haines (@birdforge) Collin of Hayworth Handmade Jeremy of 419 Forging BryanHunt.hiddenroseforge Will From Maine @sprucehillstudio Jerod Weaver at Weaver's Custom Metalworks Instagram Masterofmetalmanipulation Ira Houseweart Timber Tiger Forge, Chris Magnus Brian Hinnenkamp - Tortuga Bladeworks KraftyMan Forge MaritimeKnifeSupply.COM Triple-T Podcast! Todd Harrington TH Blades Marc Leblanc papa_hache_axe Brigham Kindell AROO Bladeworks Knifematerial.at Donny Dulevich ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

STREAMING THE MAKING OF THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, FEATURING JEFF BLISS AND GERMANICUS (MICHAEL VLAHOS). 4-17-202681 BCE SULLAJeff Bliss and John Batchelor discuss the vibrant developments in Las Vegas, where the President of the United Statesrecently arrived on Air Force One to promote a "no tax on tips" policy. The city is diversifying, becoming a sports mecca with Formula 1, World Wrestling at Allegiant Stadium, and a potential NBA franchise. Bliss recalls the legacy of the Rat Pack, Elvis, and Sinatra, while noting new landmarks like the Museum of Ice Cream in Area 15. Additionally, a massive In-N-Out burger restaurant is being built on the Strip, and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is adding rare balcony suites. Batchelor even jokes about a future Museum of Potato Chips featuring Lays.In California politics, the race to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom is intensifying under the Jungle Primary system. Newsom reportedly spent 1.5 million dollars to purchase 67,000 copies of his own book. Current candidates include Steve Hilton, a former Fox contributor; Tommy Steyer, a multi-billionaire; and UC Irvine professor Katie Porter. In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass faces a tight race against Spencer Pratt. Batchelor mentions an interview between Bass and Jim Acosta on CNN, where she appeared defensive regarding homeless encampments in Venice and Hollywood.Other local issues involve the California Coastal Commission canceling Long Beach fireworks. On Catalina Island, once a secret CIA training ground, Batchelor recalls the Four Freshmen singing about the sea while discussing a police canine apprehending a suspect in Avalon. Bliss recounts his own experience being bitten by a German Shepherd when analyzing the intensity of such arrests. Additionally, a massive Animal Crossing bridge is under construction across a Southern California freeway to protect wildlife like buffalo.Globally, Germanicus warns of the "consolidation" of wars. Russia is reportedly upset by Ukrainian drone attacks launched from the Baltic states and Finland. Germanicus explains that 96% of Russian casualties are now caused by drones produced in Europe, Israel, and Turkey. Germanicus also highlights that leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer are meeting to address the crisis at the Strait of Hormuz. Despite a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, there remains a risk of "spasmodic responses" involving Russia's hypersonic Oreshnik missiles. John Batchelor concludes the session by noting that there is no certainty anywhere in the world except for their conversation. This dialogue captures the intersection of local entertainment, state politics, and global military strategy during a volatile and high-stakes historical period in history.

Czy można osiągnąć szczyt w korporacyjnym świecie i zdecydować się na całkowity restart?Gościem dzisiejszego odcinka jest Marcin Kotlarek, który przez 25 lat piął się po szczeblach kariery w BCG, dochodząc do stanowiska partnera.W szczerej rozmowie Marcin opowiada o cenie sukcesu w konsultingu, gdzie tydzień pracy potrafi trwać 100 godzin, a życie przelicza się "jak lata psa". Usłyszycie o kulisach powstawania BLIK-a, o współpracy z legendami polskiej bankowości oraz o tym, dlaczego sprzedaż 100 Bitcoinów uważa za swój największy błąd.To jednak przede wszystkim rozmowa o projektowaniu życia na nowo. Marcin dzieli się osobistymi doświadczeniami, które zmieniły jego hierarchię wartości - od straty żony po walkę o zdrowie córki. Dowiecie się, dlaczego po pięćdziesiątce zamienił garnitur na pracę w fundacji Race for the Baltic i jak dziś wykorzystuje biznesowe narzędzia, by ratować Morze Bałtyckie przed ekologiczną katastrofą.Z tego odcinka dowiesz się:

Send us Fan MailVisit Chronopolis in Geneva this week. The fair runs from April 14th until the 18th, is free to enter, and open to all, running from 10 am to 8 pm every day!You'll find the location here:LES HALLES DE L'ÎLE1204 GENEVAhttps://www.chronopolis.ch/Follow the hosts on Instagram @alonbenjoseph, @scarlintheshire, @davaucher and @robnudds.Thanks to @skillymusic for the theme tune.

The last four years' conflicts from the Strait of Hormuz through the Red Sea to the Black Sea have presented a raft of lessons to the navies of Europe. How are they positioned to address the lessons, and what moves are already taking place?Returning to the Midrats Podcast to discuss this and related topics is Alessio Patalano.Alessio is a Professor of War and Strategy in East Asia and senior fellow at the Center for Statecraft and National Security at King's College London, where he specializes in maritime strategic issues.SummaryIn this episode, Alessio Politano, Mark, and Sal engage in a deep discussion on the evolving landscape of naval security, strategic innovation, and the importance of historical and contemporary insights in shaping maritime defense policies. Main topics include:The significance of maritime history and its influence on current naval strategiesChallenges facing the UK Royal Navy and European navies amid funding and technological gapsModern threats in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and beyond, including missile and drone warfareInteroperability and technological advancements in NATO naval forcesThe strategic importance of autonomous systems and undersea infrastructure resilienceTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction and overview of current naval strategic challenges02:11 - Major recent regional conflicts and their global implications03:09 - Mritime strategy and how history informs modern security04:48 - The importance of understanding maritime history in policy making05:45 - Lessons from past empires and their relevance today07:36 - Strategic literacy among policymakers and military leaders08:49 - The impact of natural disasters and supply chain disruptions (e.g., Japan 2011)10:28 - Europe's response to emerging naval threats and fleet modernization efforts11:51 - The role of anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) systems in modern warfare13:23 - Challenges faced by European navies in resource allocation and modernization14:48 - The Red Sea operations: European and NATO approaches to maritime security17:01 - Lessons learned from Ukraine and how they influence fleet development18:24 - The state of the Royal Navy's readiness and funding issues19:48 - Upgrades and challenges regarding naval guns and missile defense systems20:45 - British Navy's current strategic considerations and historical perspective22:23 - Political and financial factors impacting UK naval capabilities23:13 - The importance of strategic investments and capability development26:33 - The role of autonomous systems and unmanned vessels in future naval missions33:24 - Regional missile threats, focusing on Iran and Chinese developments37:18 - Europe's plans for missile defense and cooperation with the U.S.44:36 - The significance of interoperability and joint exercises50:07 - Building resilience through technology, autonomy, and international collaboration55:09 - Critical infrastructure protection in the Baltic and North Sea62:57 - Future trajectories for European and Asian navies63:13 - Alessio's upcoming projects and publicationsResources & Links:Books by Alessio PatalanoThe Sun Also Rises — by Ernest HemingwayFleet Tactics and Naval Operations, Third Edition — by Wayne Hughes:Centre for Statecraft and National Security at King's College LondonBooks by Sam J. TangrediProject BeehiveRussia probing of the UK seabed resourcesNATO's Baltic Sentry

The Japanese-Russo War began on the 8th of February 1904, needing something big to tip things in their favour, Russia sent their Baltic Fleet on an epic journey around the world. Things started badly, and got worse from there!This is a comedy/history podcast, the report begins at approximately 05:18 (though as always, we go off on tangents throughout the report).For all our important links: https://linktr.ee/dogoonpod Check out our other podcasts:Book Cheat: https://play.acast.com/s/book-cheatPrime Mates: https://play.acast.com/s/prime-mates/Listen Now: https://play.acast.com/s/listen-now/Who Knew It with Matt Stewart: https://play.acast.com/s/who-knew-it-with-matt-stewart/Jess Writes A Rom-Com: https://shows.acast.com/jess-writes-a-rom-comOur awesome theme song by Evan Munro-Smith and logo by Peader ThomasDo Go On acknowledges the traditional owners of the land we record on, the Wurundjeri people, in the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders, past and present. REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING:https://1870to1918.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/russo-japanese-war-the-18000-mile-voyage/https://www.hullwebs.co.uk/content/l-20c/disaster/dogger-bank/voyage-of-dammed.htmhttps://web.archive.org/web/20160316045400/https://hullwebs.co.uk//content/l-20c/disaster/dogger-bank/voyage-of-dammed.htmhttps://www.britannica.com/event/Russo-Japanese-Warhttps://www.warhistoryonline.com/history/bear-steams-east-russian-fleet.htmlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzGqp3R4Mx4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mdi_Fh9_Ag Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk about cheap drones, energy resources, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.We also discuss the Strait of Hormuz, the war in Iran, and economic asymmetry.Recommended Book: The Age of Extraction by Tim WuTranscriptRussia's invasion of Ukraine has been pretty universally bad for everyone involved, very much including Russia, which going into the fifth year of this conflict, which it started by massing troops on its neighbor's border and invading, unprovoked, following years of funding asymmetric military incursions in Ukraine's southeast. Following their full invasion though, Russia has reportedly suffered around 1.25 million casualties, with more than 400,000 of those casualties suffered in 2025, alone. It's estimated that Russia has also suffered at least 325,000 deaths, and Ukrainian officials reported confirmed kills of more than 30,000 Russian soldiers just in January 2026.As of early 2026, Russian controlled about 20% of Ukraine, down from the height of its occupation, back in March of 2022, when it controlled 26% of the country.And due to a combination of military spending, intense and expansive international sanctions, and damage inflicted by Ukraine, it's estimated that Russia has incurred about $1 trillion in damages, about a fifth of that being direct operational expenses, and around a fourth the result of reduced growth and lost assets stemming from all those sanctions.There's a good chance that all of these numbers, aside from the land controlled, are undercounts, too, as some estimates rely on official figures, and those figures are generally assumed to be partially fabricated to allow Russia to keep face in what is already a pretty humiliating situation—a war they started and which they thought would be a walk in the park, lasting maybe a week, but which has instead gone on to reshape their entire country and present one of the biggest threats to Putin's control over the Kremlin since he took office.That in mind, a report from last week, at the tail-end of March, suggests that the Kremlin knows things aren't looking great for them, and they asked Russian oligarchs to donate money to the cause, to help stabilize Russian finances. This report, which is unconfirmed, but has been reported by multiple Russian media entities, arrives at a moment in which the Russian government is also planning cuts to all sorts of spending, including military spending, but also a reported 10% across the board, to all “non-sensitive” matters in its 2026 budget.Despite these fairly abysmal figures, though, there's some optimism in Russia-supporting circles right now, in large part because the conflict in Iran, and Iran's near shutting down of the Strait of Hormuz, which is an important channel for the flow of international energy assets, that's goosed the price of oil and gas, which in turn has goosed Russian income substantially.What I'd like to talk about today are the interconnections between the conflict in Ukraine and the conflict in Iran, and how Ukraine being invaded seems to have put them in a position of relative influence and authority in this new conflict in the Middle East.—From the moment Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian military, and its government, industrial base, and pretty much everyone else, scrambled to find an asymmetric means of keeping a far larger, wealthier, and ostensibly more experienced and better backed foe from just steam-rolling over them.They found that by leveraging lower-cost deterrents, like cheap rockets and drones, they could pay something like $10,000 to take out a tank or other weapons platform that cost Russia a million or ten million dollars. That's a pretty stellar trade-off, and if you can do that over and over again, eventually you make the cost of the conflict just ridiculously unbalanced, each trade of hardware costing you very little and them a whole lot, which with time can making waging war unsustainable for the side paying orders of magnitudes more.Russia is of course making use of inexpensive drones and rockets, as well. That's become a norm in modern conflicts, especially over the past five years or so, as cheap but capable and easy to produce models have started rolling of manufacturing lines in Iran and Turkey, allowing them to become popular sources of single-use but quite agile and deadly aerial weaponry.Ukraine has gone further than most other entities, though, as they're immensely incentivized to get this right, and to put their full support behind anything that gives them the upper-hand against what's still a powerful and otherwise overwhelming invading force. And this patchwork of companies, independent and government supported, large-ish and tiny enough to operate under constant fire and in wartime conditions, has since scaled-up so that they're expected to manufacture about 7 million drones of many different varieties in 2026.This scaling has attracted a lot of outside investment, and Ukraine is now considered to be not just a bulwark against current Russian aggression in Europe, taking the brunt of the damage so that Russia isn't able to turn its attention to the Baltic states and other potential, future targets. It's also considered to be a vital resource for future protection against Russia, as the US has become a less reliable ally, and NATO, which until recently has been mostly funded and armed by the US, is still getting its legs under it, more members contributing both money and other resources, but possibly not fast enough.If Russia were to either win in Ukraine and then turn its full-tilt military machine further west, toward other parts of Europe, or if it were to come to some kind of stalemate or peace agreement in Ukraine and then do the same, many leaders throughout Europe believe that Ukrainians, grizzled and scar from this current invasion, will be the ones to train up comparably inexperienced NATO and European Union forces, and to provide the best new, asymmetry-focused military hardware, like drones of all shapes and sizes, as well.They'll be not just the arsenal of NATO and the EU, they'll also probably be the training officers and commanders.We already see evidence of this probable future demand for Ukrainian goods and services in Gulf states that were attacked by Iran shortly after Israel and the US launched their own attacks that killed Iran's leader and caused a great deal of damage throughout the country.Five Iranian neighbors have reportedly made deals with Ukraine to help them defend against future attacks from Iran, especially drone and missile attacks against their energy and water infrastructure.This help comes in the form of Ukrainian technology, which has been forged by their war, defending against Russia's incursion, but also training by Ukrainian experts, who are a lot more informed by those war-time realities, and know how to keep infrastructure safe while at the same time taking out the enemy's capacity to attack in the future.Ukraine's hardware is also super cheap compared to comparable alternatives. Ukraine can produce a long-range strike drone for about $200,000, compared to similar drones made by companies in other western countries that cost between $5-10 million. Ukrainian companies also produce far cheaper anti-personnel drones, and interceptor drones and rockets that can flip the cost considerations in some types of conflict.Often the attacker will launch a bunch of multi-million dollar rockets, alongside a bunch of $10,000 decoys. If your anti-rocket interceptors hit the decoys, and your interceptors cost more than those decoys, maybe a few million dollars apiece, you very quickly end up spending more than your attacker. Reducing the cost of those defensive materials, then, can give the defender the cost advantage, which makes holding out over the long-haul, but also producing enough interceptors to prevent infrastructure damage and save lives, more financially feasible.There's a strange interconnectedness between these two conflicts, then, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has turned Ukraine into a military product and services powerhouse that's only just now beginning to scale up, but already in high-demand, while at the same time, Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off energy product flow through this vital channel, is boosting Russia's income dramatically at a moment in which it desperately needs that income to keep invading Ukraine.That influx of resources could help Russia maintain its invasion for longer than they could otherwise manage, and it could give them a leg up, an even bigger advantage than they already have, which in turn could force Ukraine to become even more skillful and experienced, even better at what they do, leading to even better weapons and tactics that they then share with clients and allies in the Middle East for use against Iran.Show Noteshttps://www.cfr.org/articles/securing-ukraines-future-in-europe-ukraines-defense-industrial-base-an-anchor-for-economic-renewal-and-european-securityhttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-ukraine-drone-defense-ecosystem-205253252.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/24/world/europe/ukraine-middle-east-oil-and-gas-drones.htmlhttps://gssr.georgetown.edu/the-forum/regions/eurasia/a-first-point-view-examining-ukraines-drone-industry/https://www.forbes.com/sites/vikrammittal/2026/02/01/ukraine-is-winning-the-economics-battle-against-russian-geran-drones/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/11/world/europe/ukraine-drones-china.htmlhttps://spectrum.ieee.org/drone-warfare-ukrainehttps://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ukraines-interceptor-drone-makers-look-exports-gulf-iran-war-flares-2026-03-07/https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/what-is-ukraines-interceptor-one-of-the-worlds-most-in-demand-drones-17055https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/4-years-of-war-counting-russia-s-costs/3838920https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/23/the-ukraine-war-in-numbers-people-territory-moneyhttps://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-grinding-war-ukrainehttps://news.sky.com/story/putin-asks-oligarchs-to-donate-to-budget-as-cost-of-ukraine-war-soars-13524940https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-asks-oligarchs-donate-russias-budget-cost-ukraine-war-soars-bell-media-2026-03-27/https://apnews.com/article/turkish-oil-tanker-attacked-black-sea-2998c366a90ed280e9781a8b030a050chttps://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-offensive-drones-c9976319f077c743317edec8a20f57f3https://apnews.com/article/war-russia-ukraine-drones-innovation-interceptor-shahed-e9de7db6437d3cbb428a6bacac326fb3https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-us-talks-iran-drones-40ad8f5481d954fe8207c3d576d540f7https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/russia-blackmail-us-zelensky-ukraine-trump-b2945767.htmlhttps://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-nato-rebuke-iran-war-11738554https://www.euronews.com/2026/03/26/pentagon-mulls-redirecting-ukraine-military-aid-to-middle-east-reports-claimhttps://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ukraine-using-strikes-pressure-russia-after-oil-sanctions-eased-zelenskiy-says-2026-03-26/https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/3/27/ukraine-fends-off-increased-attacks-strikes-russian-oil-revenue This is a public episode. 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Day 1,495.Today, as the full extent of the damage from Ukrainian strikes in the Baltic region becomes clearer, we assess the impact on Russia's oil infrastructure and the wider war economy. We also examine stalled offensives on the ground, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces struggling to make significant gains along the frontline. Then we turn to President Zelensky's “Gulf Grand Tour”, as he signs defence agreements with Gulf states seeking Ukrainian assistance against Iranian drone threats as Moscow is accused of helping Tehran to destroy one of its most valuable aircraft. And later, we look at a row in Germany after a major defence company claimed Ukrainian drones were “built by housewives”, and ask whether a European Union member state such as Hungary could lose its voting rights amid growing pressure to unlock a €90 billion loan for Kyiv.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.James Rothwell (Berlin Correspondent). @JamesERothwell on X.Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent). @Barnes_Joe on X.NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:Francis's Documentary on Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIILzKnFs2o Zelensky looks to Gulf to protect him from Putin (Joe Barnes in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/zelensky-needs-patriot-missiles-answer-in-gulf/ Orban on the brink – but his rival may spring a surprise on the EU (James Crisp in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/eu-viktor-orban-hungary-election/ How Iran destroyed US base's $500m battlefield nerve centre (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/29/how-iran-destroyed-500m-battlefield-nerve-centre-at-us-base/ Hungarian Journalist Faces Spy Charges After Reports on Election Meddling (New York Times):https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/26/world/europe/hungary-journalist-election-meddling-espionage.html Russians dubious as bomb shelters appear 1,000km from Ukraine (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/russia-building-bomb-shelters-1-000-km-from-border-as-ukraines-strike-reach-grows/?mc_cid=6c83d4505d&mc_eid=08d0680a95 Russian losses in the war with Ukraine: updated (Mediazona and BBC):https://en.zona.media/article/2026/03/27/casualties_eng-trl EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,492.Today, as Ukraine continues its strikes on Russian oil terminals on the Baltic Sea, we explore how Russia's oil exports and wider economy are benefiting from the war in Iran. Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky is in Saudi Arabia seeking to strengthen defence cooperation in the Middle East. And later, we bring several updates from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, along with the first episode from Francis's new documentary series dedicated to Hungary – widely seen as the chief barrier to the European Union's efforts to support Kyiv.Contributors:Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest).Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest).With thanks to Dr Jade McGlynn.NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:Francis's Hungary film will top this playlist as soon as it's live at c.20:00 GMT/15:00 ET:https://youtu.be/fIILzKnFs2o?si=6pkMUNstkZjtYxfW Accompanying article:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/27/hungary-russia-ukraine-viktor-orban-war-explained-dispatch/ How Ukraine killed Putin's plan to make billions from Iran war (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/27/ukraine-killed-putins-plan-make-millions-iran-war/ Exclusive: Trump's Iran war pushes India to rekindle old friendship with Russia (Reuters):https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/trumps-iran-war-pushes-india-rekindle-old-friendship-with-russia-2026-03-27/Why Ukraine's Russian oil strikes are backfiring (The Spectator):https://spectator.com/article/why-ukraines-russian-oil-strikes-are-backfiring/Willing Accomplices: Gazprom and Rosneft's role in the transport and indoctrination of children (Yale School of Public Health, HUmanitarian Research Lab):https://files-profile.medicine.yale.edu/documents/685979f1-6c89-4295-a765-d6fee48357e3Welcome to ‘New Russia': How the Kremlin is remaking occupied Ukraine (Reuters):https://www.reuters.com/investigations/welcome-new-russia-how-kremlin-is-remaking-occupied-ukraine-2026-03-26/How Russia attempts to legalize the occupation of Crimea (Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/how-russia-attempts-to-legalize-the-occupation-of-crimea/ EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,491.Today, as extraordinary Ukrainian strikes in the Baltic region reportedly knock out around 40 per cent of Russia's crude oil export capacity in a single attack – and achieve the first known successful strike on a Russian military ship in the Baltic Sea, hundreds of kilometres from Ukraine – we assess the strategic impact on Russia's war economy. We also take the temperature from high-level meetings in Germany and Finland, and examine reports that Moscow is supplying Iran with vital assistance in its confrontation with the United States and Israel. What vulnerabilities has this widening conflict exposed for Washington?Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to Dr Robert Person, nonresident senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:Ukraine drone attacks wipe out power for 500,000 Russians (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/25/ukraine-russia-drone-attacks-power-cut-500k-kyiv/ Trump denies it – but two wars are becoming one (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/26/converging-wars-leave-europe-panicked-and-putin-emboldened/ Exclusive: At least 40% of Russia's oil export capacity halted (Reuters):https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/least-40-russias-oil-export-capacity-halted-reuters-calculations-show-2026-03-25/ Russia sending drones to Iran, western intelligence says (The Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/d5d7291b-8a53-42cd-b10a-4e02fbcf9047?syn-25a6b1a6=1 Russian government ordered Moscow internet blackout, The Bell reports (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/orders-to-shut-down-internet-in-moscow-came-from-government-independent-russian-outlets-sources-confirm/?mc_cid=acf8847d40&mc_eid=08d0680a95 Pentagon considers diverting Ukraine military aid to the Middle East (The Washington Post):https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/26/us-iran-war-ukraine-missile-defense/ Over 5000 munitions shot in the first 96 hours of Iran war (Foreign Policy Institute):https://www.fpri.org/article/2026/03/over-5000-munitions-shot-in-the-first-96-hours-of-the-iran-war/Drone Warfare Has Come to the United States (National Interest):https://nationalinterest.org/feature/drone-warfare-has-come-to-the-united-states EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,490.Today, as Ukraine suffers the largest wave of Russian attacks of the entire war – including a rare daytime aerial assault across much of the country – we examine the scale and impact of the bombardment. We also report on Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russia's Baltic ports, with some drones reportedly reaching Estonia and Latvia. Then we reveal behind-the-scenes details of talks in Florida between Ukrainian and American officials, as the first investment linked to the US-Ukraine minerals deal becomes public. And later, we explore the evolution of international law since the Nuremberg Trials and how it underpins the post–World War II security architecture, in conversation with a former director of Human Rights Watch.Contributors:Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.With thanks to journalist and author Steve Crawshaw.NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:Steve Crawshaw's book – Prosecuting the Powerful: War Crimes and the Battle for Justice:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prosecuting-Powerful-Crimes-Battle-Justice/dp/0349128952/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 Russia bombards Ukraine with largest daytime attack (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/24/wave-of-russian-strikes-kill-five-in-ukraine/ Ukrainian Institute of London's Language School:Spring-Summer Term info: https://uil.org.uk/language-school/Intensive Course booking: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ukrainianinstitutelondon/2125172 Registration form: https://forms.gle/hdeuf36UxxrJpUKe9EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.