Russia may be recruiting U.S.-trained special forces from Afghanistan as Washington bases bombers in the Outback.

(Originally published Nov. 1 in “What in the World“) Russia launched a new barrage of missiles against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, knocking out Kyiv’s water supply.

The attacks followed Moscow’s announcement that that it was suspending participation in exports of Ukrainian grain following a drone attack against its Black Sea fleet. Russian President Vladimir Putin made clear that Russia was only suspending the agreement, suggesting it could be persuaded to rejoin if it received sufficient incentives. Russia has reportedly wanted sanctions eased against payments for its own grain.

In the meantime, Moscow warned, it could no longer guarantee the safety of Ukrainian grain vessels. It wasn’t clear whether this was a veiled threat or an admission of its ebbing military capability.

Help may be on the way from Afghanistan. Russia is reportedly recruiting former Afghan special forces, who were trained by the U.S. and fought alongside U.S. forces but then fled to Iran after the U.S. pullout in 2021 to avoid capture by the victorious Taliban.

America’s defeat after 20 years of war against the Taliban hasn’t shaken its conviction about containing China, however. It’s sending six B-52 bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, to a base in northern Australia.