Mark Galeotti

Wars, after all, are not ultimately won even by such expensively-capable systems as Storm Shadows or ATACMS, but they are struggles of will. Putin still believes that this is Russia's secret weapon, its capacity to absorb more costs, take more risks and think more unthinkable thoughts. Yesterday, in Kyiv, the psychological warfare worked. Whether it will work as intended in the future, or whether, conversely, we will become inured to these tactics, remains to be seen.

When a DHL cargo plane crashed while approaching Vilnius airport on Monday, killing one of the crew, it looked like technical failure, but given that Russia was believed to be behind a series of incendiary devices which ignited on DHL flights and in warehouses this summer, inevitably many feared Moscow’s hand. The suspicion is likely

The West is behind the curve, the defence analyst writes. Russia’s deployment of North Korean soldiers is just one facet of a conflict being fought on ever more fronts

Russian organised crime in particular has established itself as a service provider to the serious and discriminating gangster

The Assads must now do whatever is convenient for the Kremlin. For now, their job is probably to keep quiet.

The new exiles will pay for their asylum by becoming wards and pawns of the Kremlin

Another one down. This morning, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, head of RKhBZ, Russia's Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence Troops, was heading

(Getty) Another one down. This morning, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of RKhBZ, Russia's Radiological, Chemical and Biological

Every year, Vladimir Putin gives a marathon town hall event that lasts for hours. Every year, I feel compelled to watch. Every year, I wonder if it will be the last time I do, as these have become increasingly formulaic, but there is always something in them that rewards watching. (Or so I tell myself.)

Every year, Vladimir Putin gives a marathon town hall event that lasts for hours. Every year, I feel compelled to watch. Every year, I wonder if it will be the last time I do, as these have become increasingly formulaic, but there is always something in them that rewards watching. (Or so I tell myself.)