Geopolitics and Empire is joined by Nikola Mikovic, who's a freelance journalist, researcher,

and analyst based in Serbia. His work focuses mostly on the foreign policies of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine.

His area of focus is the ongoing conflict in the Danbas, as well as relations between

Russia and former Soviet republics. Nikola also covers Russia's involvement in Syria and Libya and elsewhere.

He writes for several publications such as diplomatic courier, geopolitics and empire, Asia Times, CGTN.

Did I mention geopolitics and empire, global comments and others?

Welcome back to G&E, Nicola.

Hi. Thank you for having me.

It's good to have you back. I see you've been doing the rounds. You were on TNT Radio with Jesse

Zero Well. Recently, you were, you know, who's my colleague who I've interviewed and I think

I've been in his program and you were with Orolo Slavski and Riley Waggerman as well having discussions on Orolo's substack.

And maybe to start to get your thoughts on the current state of the collective Kremlin as Yuri Rochka, it calls it.

And I think we can start with your tweets.

I very much enjoy your tweets.

And you recently tweeted out,

according to reports,

the span of the Crimean Bridge was reportedly damaged by two explosions.

Who would have thought that could happen?

And then you screenshot your own tweet from November of last year, where you said, after Ukrainian attacks on the Kermayan bridge and the

Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, the Kremlin decided to extend the grain deal. What comes next?

Ukraine will likely wait until the Crimean bridge is repaired,

and then they will once again try to destroy it. The weak get beaten. So you are some sort of

...