Putin’s mind games still have power over Ukraine
The air raid sirens sounded yesterday, the American embassy in Kyiv closed, as did the Italian and Greek. The British…
Could Trump save Ukraine?
One thousand days into Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, three facts seem to be evident. First, Russia is losing.…
Can Russia really ban smoking?
The UK isn’t the only place which has been toying with the idea of introducing a ‘generational’ tobacco ban. Rishi…
The Novichok inquiry raises some big questions for MI5
The inquiry into the death of Dawn Sturgess as an innocent victim of the attempt to murder Russian double-agent Sergei…
Why MI5 is so worried about Russia’s GRU
Ken McCallum, head of the Security Service (MI5), has warned of the serious threat to Britain posed by the Russian…
Vladimir Putin’s 72nd may have been his unhappiest birthday yet
Happy birthday, Mr President? With Vladimir Putin turning 72 on Monday, this has become an opportunity for the Kremlin’s spin…
Moscow wants to ruin your weekend
When is slower internet better than none at all? When are travel delays more serious a political challenge than threats…
Why is Putin expelling more British diplomats?
Another six bite the dust. The British Embassy in Moscow, already pared to the bone, is being reduced by another…
Moscow is blaming Britain for the Kursk attack
Is the sinking of the super-yacht Bayesian and likely death of Mike Lynch a bigger story than Ukraine’s Kursk incursion? The Russian…
Will Ukraine’s Kursk offensive pay off?
For the first time since the Second World War, foreign forces have invaded Russia. As Ukrainian troops push over the…
The Soviet Union’s gerontocracy should serve as a warning to the US
One waspish – but not entirely inaccurate – Russian media assessment of the first US presidential debate was that it…
Is the Russian murder machine ramping up?
Are we witnessing a new and more dangerous stage in the indirect war between Russia and the West? The news…
Why the plot to kill Putin would be a mistake
Is the assassination of Vladimir Putin the answer to ending the war in Ukraine? A collection of émigré Russians who…
The myth and memory of Yevgeny Prigozhin
Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny, when his Wagner mercenaries seized the city of Rostov-on-Don and sent…
Who are the Russian NHS hackers?
What do you do if you’re a modern state and need extra capacity in a hurry? You outsource. And if…
Why is Putin still so desperate for Western validation?
Everyone loves Russia, or at least echoes its talking points – if you believe the country’s state media. Why should…
Why is Putin purging his generals?
Five down – how many more to go? As more and more senior Russian officers and defence officials are arrested…
What the Shoigu reshuffle means for Putin’s war machine
There was an expectation that the appointment of Vladimir Putin’s new government would see some change in the Russian security…
Why Russia’s ‘king of the kickback’ was arrested
The universal corruption of the Russian elite suits Vladimir Putin. When everyone has a skeleton in their closet, power rests…
Why is Russia jamming plane signals across Europe?
The ‘Baltic Beast’ is at it again. Mysterious – or not so mysterious – GPS signal disruption has become a…
How likely is Putin to target the Paris Olympics?
One thing the French seem to be learning (or, given their history, re-learning) is that the Russians are always up…
How Putin will rig the Russian election
Pity the poor political technologists, as Russia’s professionals in the dark arts of spin, propaganda, gerrymandering and outright ballot box…
Putin wants to talk about Russia’s future, not the war
Vladimir Putin’s annual address to the Federation Council (the upper chamber of the legislature) is rarely an exciting event, but…
Putin’s nuclear doctrine has been revealed
Secret documents have been leaked that reveal Russian scenarios for war games involving simulated nuclear strikes. They shed light on…
Why Macron won’t send troops to Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron does enjoy a good grandstanding. Having once been keen to present himself as a possible bridge-builder…
