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Zeitgeist — a spike by Chris Gathercole
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Ukraine Closes the Sea of Azov

YouTube/Podcast · ~5:05 · YouTube · Podcast

  • Ukrainian drone strikes have effectively shut down Russian shipping through the Sea of Azov, a route linking the Volga River canal system to the Black Sea that southern Russia relies on to move agricultural goods, coal, and iron.
  • With Russia’s rail network already maxed out and short on ball bearings and replacement railcars, losing the Azov sea route removes one of the last flexible outlets for that regional trade.
  • Named concept: the “shadow fleet” — Russia’s sanctions-evasion tanker network — would face further disruption if Ukraine extends these drone attacks into the eastern Black Sea.
  • Practical takeaway: no quick fix exists for Russia here — Zeihan expects the Russian economy and war effort to stay on the back foot as a result.