Battleground 387. The Baltic Blitz: Dismantling Putin’s War Chest
Apr 3, 2026
Julian Evans, author of Undefeatable: Odesa in Love and War, shares on-the-ground perspectives from Ukraine. Conversation covers Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil terminals in the Baltic and their financial impact. They discuss troop movements, conscription strains, geopolitical fallout with Gulf states and China, and what bolder Western support might look like.
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Student Conscription Reveals Russian Manpower Strain
- Small Ukrainian ground gains forced Russia to redeploy elite units from Donetsk to the south and exposed acute Russian manpower shortages.
- Moscow is now recruiting university students under a directive to supply about 44,000 contract soldiers, often using exam coercion.
Export Drone Expertise To Win Gulf Support
- Leverage Ukraine's drone expertise as an exportable commodity to build alliances and secure funding and equipment from Gulf states.
- Zelensky offered drone and anti-drone cooperation to Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar to gain cash, military aid, and political support.
Middle East Chaos Alters Global Alignments
- The Iran conflict's energy price spike briefly benefited Russia, but geopolitical fallout may push Gulf states closer to China for long‑term security.
- Patrick Bishop argues Gulf states might seek Chinese reassurance after perceived US recklessness.
