Economist Podcasts General ejection: China’s military purge
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Jan 27, 2026 
Sarah Larniuk, Deputy Editor of The Intelligence and on-the-ground reporter in Kyiv, describes life under strikes and freezing outages. The show also digs into a surprising probe of two top Chinese generals and what it means for leadership and military readiness. Finally, the rise of Strava and its IPO ambitions and why athletes flock to its social fitness features are explored.
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Promotions Risk Weakened Military Advice
- Xi faces a personnel dilemma: promoting from a tainted pool risks elevating less experienced, potentially unreliable officers.
- Operational readiness likely suffers when almost the entire senior uniformed command evaporates.
Purges Clash With Xi's Political Calendar
- The timing worsens optics ahead of the 2027 military capability deadline and the five-yearly party meeting.
- Xi must reassert order before he seeks another term, making stability a pressing concern.
Kyiv's Winter Of Generators And Fumes
- Sarah Larniuk reports Kyiv feels bleaker than at any time in nearly four years of war.
- Diesel fumes and constant generators mark a winter where stopgap power solutions have become permanent fixtures.