2.20 The Asymmetrical Humiliation: Or Else, What?

Greetings, comrades! In Episode 2.20, we examine the sheer, terminal absurdity of the Russian Federation's bureaucratic collapse.

The geopolitical gravity has inverted: Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan is now openly mocking Vladimir Putin inside the Kremlin about having functional elections and free internet. In response, the paranoid Russian state is dropping a digital Iron Curtain, exterminating regional ISPs, and forcing its population into a digital gulag before the next wave of covert mobilization hits. We dissect the "Archimedes 2026" military expo (where cadets duct-taped AK-74s to a remote-controlled river-trash collector), uncover the newly privatized corporate draft in Ryazan, and watch the Z-patriots suffer a complete psychological meltdown as the Ministry of Defense proudly announces the "complete liberation of the LNR" for the third time since 2022. The empire is out of breath, out of cash, and out of threats.

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Strap a Glock to a Roomba & call it the Terminator

Kristaps Andrejsons, the presenter/historian of the Eastern Border is the sort of historian I wish everyone could encounter early in life- he makes history (& current events) alive & fascinating.
The title of this review is a quote from his description of an entry into Russia's military expo Archimedes 2026. Some students had designed a trash collector for vodka bottles in rivers, but decided that if they duct taped a couple of AK-47s to it they could show it to the generals. They added no stabilization or targeting, just a camo paint job... So Kristaps vivid description of "The Terminator."
Kristaps always brings news that I find nowhere else- from Russian social media accounts, provincial news, and more. In this episode, it was revealed how the telecom giant MTS has resorted to putting wifi routers in observation balloons & tethering the balloons in the middle of towns for internet connectivity in eastern Russia.
Above and beyond the "news", it is Kristaps's analysis, commentary, & unique perspective that I value. Highly recommended & definitely worth your time.