PDB Afternoon Bulletin | December 10th, 2025: Russia Nearly Took Down U.S.-Bound Planes & Zelensky Read To Hold Elections

Summary

The President’s Daily Brief – Afternoon Bulletin
Episode: December 10th, 2025: Russia Nearly Took Down U.S.-Bound Planes & Zelensky Ready To Hold Elections
Host: Mike Baker

Overview

In this episode, host Mike Baker delivers urgent updates on two major international developments: Russia’s covert sabotage campaign against the West—which nearly resulted in attacks on U.S.-bound aircraft—and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s readiness to hold long-delayed elections, provided security can be guaranteed by Western allies. Baker dissects the implications of Russian shadow warfare, the evolving threat to NATO and the U.S., and the precarious political situation in Ukraine as it battles corruption, invasion, and mounting international pressure for democratic renewal.

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Key Topics and Insights

1. Russia’s Shadow War Reaches the U.S. (00:34–08:20)

• Escalation of Russian Hybrid Warfare:
  Baker outlines fresh findings about Moscow’s covert sabotage operations across Europe, extending to potential attacks on U.S.-bound planes.

  “Bombshell reporting reveals Russia’s hybrid or shadow war nearly reached the US. European intelligence now says a Russian sabotage network was preparing to attack U.S.-bound aircraft. It’s almost like Putin doesn’t have any interest in peace, huh?” — Mike Baker (00:44)

• Details of the Near-Miss Attack:

  • In July of the previous year, explosive devices in DHL parcels detonated at logistics hubs in the UK, Poland, and Germany.
  • Each device was strong enough to bring down a cargo aircraft if detonated aboard.
  • European officials believe six kilos of additional explosives signaled a plan for a next-phase attack targeting U.S.-bound flights.

  “European officials now believe Russian operatives were preparing for an attack on U.S.-bound aircraft, something that they say could have caused more disruption to global aviation than anything since the September 11 attacks.” — Mike Baker (02:32)

• Broader Sabotage Campaign:

  • Plots uncovered include derailing passenger trains, setting fire to public buildings, poisoning water supplies, and disabling key infrastructure.
  • Drone incursions have targeted airports and military installations in Poland, Denmark, Germany, and Belgium, often in coordinated “clusters.”
  • Russian operatives scout critical infrastructure sites, following Soviet-era sabotage doctrine.

  “Russian operatives are also scouting bridges, rail bottlenecks, energy lines, and other operational targets that match Cold War sabotage doctrine. Almost line for line.” — Mike Baker (04:18)

• Structure of Operations:

  • Moscow is leveraging a “gig economy of spycraft,” using “disposable assets”—young men, often unaffiliated, recruited online and paid in cryptocurrency.
  • Wagner mercenary networks are also involved in recruitment.
  • This method increases scale and deniability.

• Strategic Implications:

  • European intelligence warns that Russia may be entering a “pre-war phase”—deniable attacks, higher risk tolerance for civilian casualties, and relentless probing for weak points.

  “The goal isn’t always destruction. Sometimes it’s reconnaissance. Sometimes it’s confusion. Sometimes it’s both.” — Mike Baker (05:30)

  • U.S.-bound attacks were a planned next step, disrupted only by Europol and allied intelligence intervention.

2. Zelensky Open to Elections Amid Wartime Pressure and Corruption (08:20–14:06)

• Zelensky’s Announcement:

  • Facing plummeting approval over a corruption scandal, Zelensky signals election openness—if U.S. and European allies can help secure the vote.

  “He said Tuesday he’d be prepared to hold elections within three months if the U.S. and Europe can guarantee security of a wartime vote.” — Mike Baker (08:32)

• Political Context:

  • Zelensky’s term expired last year; Ukrainian law bans elections under martial law.
  • Trump and other critics accuse Kyiv of using war as a pretext to delay voting, putting pressure on Ukrainian leadership.

  “Zelensky was quick to answer. He labeled that suggestion as, quote, ‘totally inadequate’ and made clear that if Washington and European partners can secure the democratic process, Ukraine could be ready to head to the polls in 60 to 90 days.” — Mike Baker (08:58)

• Challenges to Democratic Process:

  • Ongoing war: daily Russian strikes, occupation, and displacement complicate logistics and safety.
  • Millions of Ukrainians remain abroad or internally displaced, entire regions under Russian control—raising doubts about free and fair participation.

  “How to protect polling stations under fire, out of registered voters who've been displaced across multiple countries, and whether anyone in frontline or occupied regions could participate at all.” — Mike Baker (11:18)

• International and Russian Stakes:

  • Trump views elections as a potential means to break the negotiation stalemate; Putin welcomes anything that could remove Zelensky.
  • Russian propaganda leverages Ukraine’s election delay to challenge government legitimacy.

  “Putin’s Christmas wish for at least a couple of years now has been to replace Zelensky in Ukraine with a pro-Russian option.” — Mike Baker (10:12)

• Ukrainian Public Opinion and Political Rivals:

  • Most Ukrainians oppose elections during war, but political renewal has appeal after recent scandals.
  • Zelensky’s support down to 20%, though still leads rivals—General Valerii Zaluzhnyi trails by just one point; intelligence head Kirilo Budanov stands at 5%. Neither challenger has declared candidacy.

  “Ironically, that could make peace negotiations even more difficult than they already are and of course would backfire on Putin’s long standing effort to get Zelensky out of the way.” — Mike Baker (12:32) “Polling... found that while 60% still trust him, only 25 believe Zelensky should remain in office once the war ends.” — Mike Baker (13:34)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Russia’s scaling covert campaigns:

  “This dispersed, low cost structure gives Russia something that it didn’t have even during the Cold War. And that would be scale. Hundreds of potential actors, each capable of causing chaos, all while maintaining deniability.” — Mike Baker (05:00)

• On Ukrainian election conundrum:

  “Zelensky says he’ll ask parliament to draft legislation that could allow elections during martial law. But again, the unresolved challenges are substantial.” — Mike Baker (11:10)

• Geopolitical Frustration:

  “The reality is any push by the White House to hold elections in Ukraine prior to a peace deal does in fact work in Putin’s favor, or at least is in line with his long standing demand that Zelensky be removed.” — Mike Baker (13:10)

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Key Segment Timestamps

• Russia’s Near-Attack on U.S.-Bound Planes & Sabotage Network:
  00:34 – 08:20
• Zelensky’s Election Announcement & Ukraine’s Wartime Democracy Dilemma:
  08:20 – 14:06

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Tone & Delivery

Mike Baker combines urgency with a blunt, wry tone, calling out the Kremlin’s tactics and the complex cynicism at play among both Eastern and Western leaders. He roots his analysis in intelligence and polling, conveying gravity about security threats while inviting listeners to consider the messy realities of democracy and war.

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For further analysis or direct questions, contact Mike at [e-mail].

Transcript

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It's Wednesday, the 10th of December. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, bombshell reporting reveals Russia's hybrid or shadow war nearly reached the US European intelligence now says a Russian sabotage network was preparing to attack U. S Bound aircraft. It's almost like Putin doesn't have any interest in peace, huh? Later in the show, a surprising statement from Ukrainian President Zelensky saying he's prepared to hold elections in Ukraine within three months if the US and allies are willing to secure the vote. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. We're starting things off with an intriguing report out of Europe. And it speaks to something that we've been tracking here on the pdb, which for quite a while we've been closely following. Russia's hybrid or shadow war across Europe. The sabotage attempts, the arson plots, the drone incursions, the strange disruptions hitting rail lines, power cables and military installations. It all points to Moscow running a far reaching covert campaign designed to unsettle European governments and test NATO's defenses. But according to new reporting from the Financial Times, that campaign came much closer to the US Than anyone previously understood. In July of last year, explosive devices hidden inside DHL parcels detonated inside logistics hubs in the U.K. poland and Germany. Now, these weren't small, insignificant explosives. European security services later concluded that each device was powerful enough to bring down a cargo aircraft. And if it had detonated inside the plane, investigators eventually tied the plot to a Russian directed sabotage network operating across the continent. That alone, of course, is noteworthy. But it's what they found next that raises the stakes. Authorities uncovered an additional six kilos of explosive material in the possession of the same group. And according to multiple intelligence officials who spoke with the ft, that extra material represented the next phase of the operation. And that was an attack on flights heading to the U.S. european officials now believe Russian operatives were preparing for an attack on US Bound aircraft, something that they say could have caused more disruption to global aviation than anything since the September 11 attacks. And according to reporting, this was not some theoretical Exercise. It was the next step in a sabotage campaign that has been operational for some time. And that campaign is evolving across Europe. Intelligence services have disrupted plots to derail crowded passenger trains, set fire to shopping centers, poison water supplies, and damage or disable key pieces of infrastructure. Drone incursions have been reported over airports and military installations in Poland and Denmark, Germany and Belgium, often in clusters and clearly designed to overwhelm local responders and expose weak spots. Russian operatives are also scouting bridges, rail bottlenecks, energy lines, and other operational targets that match Cold War sabotage doctrine. Almost line for line, the FT reports that Russia has even attempted to reinsert trained sleeper saboteurs into Europe after mass diplomatic expulsions thinned out their official intelligence presence. To pull this off, Moscow is relying heavily on what experts describe as a gig economy of spycraft. These aren't traditional intelligence officers. They're young men, often with no connection to Russia. Recruited online, paid in cryptocurrency and used as disposable assets. They carry out arson attacks, map infrastructure or place improvised devices without necessarily knowing who is giving the orders. In one disrupted cell connected to former Wisecart executive Jan Marsalek, targets allegedly included US Military bases in Europe. Wagner mercenary networks have also been involved in recruiting saboteurs. This dispersed, low cost structure gives Russia something that it didn't have even during the Cold War. And that would be scale. Hundreds of potential actors, each capable of causing chaos, all while maintaining deniability. And we're now seeing the consequences. European intelligence services are warning that Russia may be entering what Soviet era doctrine called a pre war phase. A period marked by deniable attacks, expanded tolerance for civilian casualties, and constant probing of an enemy's weaknesses. The goal isn't always destruction. Sometimes it's reconnaissance. Sometimes it's confusion. Sometimes it's both. Which brings us back to the US for months we've reported that Russia's hybrid war against Europe was persistent and expanding. And this new reporting, well, makes that clear. An attack on US Bound aircraft was not only possible, it was allegedly an act of planning before European authorities disrupted the network. Coming up next, Ukrainian President Zelensky says he's ready to hold elections if the US And Western allies are ready to help secure the vote. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, we've all seen those scary ads about owing money to the irs. You know the ones I'm talking about trying to find, frighten you into calling. Well, let me tell you about a different kind of business. They're called tax relief advocates. And if you owe the IRS. Whether it's 5,000 or 50,000 or $500,000, TRA tax relief advocates has solutions to help resolve your tax problems. The good news is that you can get help anytime by visiting tra.com and TRA could reduce or even eliminate what you owe. 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Welcome back to the Afternoon Bulletin. As a corruption scandal eats into his approval ratings, Ukrainian President Zelensky signals he's ready to let voters have their say. He said Tuesday he'd be prepared to hold elections within three months if the US And Europe can guarantee security of a wartime vote. Now for those unfamiliar Zelenskyy's term expired last year. And while Ukrainian law bans elections under martial law, the Ukrainian president now faces renewed pressure from President Trump, who recently told Politico that Kiev is using the war as an excuse to delay a vote. When word of Trump accusing Kyiv of stalling reached Ukraine leadership, Zelensky was quick to answer. He labeled that suggestion as, quote, totally inadequate and made clear that if Washington and European partners can secure the democratic process, Ukraine could be ready to head to the polls in 60 to 90 days. As for why Trump is pursuing a vote, well, that stems from his belief that a new leader in Kyiv might finally break the stalemate in peace negotiations, which has swung between flashes of progress and long periods of drift. Well, now, whether that happens or not, a new leader would certainly please someone, and that someone would be Russian President Putin. He's been calling for and hoping for Zelensky to leave office for almost the entire duration of his war. This has all put President Zelensky in an uncomfortable position. As you might imagine. Kyiv has been resistant to parts of a US Backed peace plan that European allies say leans too far towards Moscow's preferences, despite Ukrainian and American negotiators hammering out a revision. Add to that Zelensky's cabinet insisting a vote cannot be held under daily Russian drone strikes, missile barrages and mass displacement of civilians. As we've been tracking here on the pdb, after nearly four years of war, millions of Ukrainians remain abroad or uprooted inside the country and entire regions still living under Russian occupation, conditions that make even basic electoral logistics a massive question mark. That's what makes Zelenskyy's new openness to elections so striking. For months, his government treated wartime voting as a non starter. Now, though, the potential to hold a vote is feeding directly into Moscow's information, strategy and desires. Putin's Christmas wish for at least a couple of years now has been to replace Zelensky in Ukraine with a pro Russian option. Putin has long claimed Ukraine's government is illegitimate because IT postponed its 2024 elections under martial law. They were under martial law because of Putin's invasion, a talking point that he's using to avoid direct talks with Zelensky and cast doubt on any negotiating framework. It's been just a part of Putin's strategy to block, delay and string along the US and allies when it comes to actually having meaningful peace talks. Zeletsky says he'll ask parliament to draft legislation that could allow elections during martial law. But again, the unresolved challenges are substantial. How to protect polling stations under fire, out of registered voters who've been displaced across multiple countries, and whether anyone in frontline or occupied regions could participate at all. And public sentiment reflects that tension. Ukrainians overwhelmingly oppose holding wartime elections, yet many also want political renewal after the corruption scandal last month that damaged Zelensky's circle and accelerated his slide in the polls. According to a survey this month, only 20% of Zelenskyy's supporters would vote for him today, down from 24% before the scandal broke. But despite those low numbers, well, he's actually still in the lead. As for challengers to the Ukrainian president, former commander in chief Valerie Zaluzhny trails by just one point, with military intelligence chief kyrilo Budanov in third place at 5%. Now, it's important to note that neither has announced any political ambitions, though both are largely viewed as more militant than Zelensky. Ironically, that could make peace negotiations even more difficult than they already are and of course would backfire on Putin's long standing effort to get Zelensky out of the way again. Obviously, Putin's desire is to replace Zelensky with a pro Russian option similar to Hungary's Viktor Orban. The reality is any push by the White House to hold elections in Ukraine prior to a peace deal does in fact work in Putin's favor, or at least is in line with his long standing demand that Zelensky be removed. And so the broader political picture is one of a presidency under strain. Trust in Zelensky has whipsawed since 2019, from 80% at his inauguration to 37% on the eve of Russia's invasion, then up to 90% in the war's first months. But just a few short months ago, polling from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that while 60% still trust him, only 25 believe Zelensky should remain in office once the war ends. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Wednesday 10th December. If you have any questions or comments, and I hope you do, please just reach out to me at pdb@the first tv.com and to listen to the show ad free. You can do that, you know, just become a premium member of the President's Daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.

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