Vladimir putin He has never been one to make radical changes to his top team. Those who violate his rules can find themselves in jail, or being blown out of the sky. But Russia’s dictator usually prefers to keep loyalists close, keep an eye on them and reward them. The news of the sacking of Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s defence minister for 12 years, in the middle of the war shocked people. Replacing him with Andrei Belousov, a technocrat with no direct connection to the security bloc before, was even more unexpected.

When all the cards were revealed, Putin seemed to play his way, and eventually offered the conscientious Shoigu an easy landing as Secretary of the National Security Council. The fate of Nikolai Patrushev, one of his most trusted aides and a staunch nationalist ideologue, is still unclear. Despite their appalling performance in 2022, the heads of Russian intelligence agencies who have run the country, including Alexander Bortnikov, still remain in their posts. fsb security Service For 16 years, it will remain the same.

Teathat fire The fire at the Diehl Metall factory in the Berlin suburb of Lichterfelde on May 3 was not suspicious in itself. It is a metalworking plant that stores two chemicals, sulfuric acid and copper cyanide, which can combine dangerously if ignited. Accidents happen. What shocked people was the fact that Diehl’s parent company makes the fire. Iris-T The air defense system that Ukraine is using to defend itself Russian MissilesThere is no evidence that the fire was an act of sabotage. If this idea is credible it is because there is ample evidence that Russia’s covert war in Europe is intensifying.

In April alone, several alleged pro-Russian saboteurs were detained across the continent. Germany arrested two men with German-Russian dual citizenship on suspicion of plotting attacks on US military bases and other targets. The GRUPoland has arrested a man who was preparing an operation against Russia, Russia’s military intelligence agency said. The GRU Information about Rzeszow Airport, the most important hub for military aid to Ukraine. Britain charged several people over an earlier arson attack in March on a Ukrainian-owned logistics firm in London, whose Spanish depot was also targeted. The men are accused of assisting the Wagner Group, a mercenary group that has been active in Ukraine and is now in prison The GRUBritain announced on May 8 that it had expelled Russia’s defence attaché, among other steps, in response to “malign activity” that had been described as an “undeclared” The GRU Officer.

STanding Side The two leaders were set to lay wreaths together at a war memorial in Ottawa to honour their country’s fallen soldiers. Justin Trudeau of Canada was once one of the West’s youngest leaders. Frenchman Gabriel Attal is France’s youngest modern prime minister. As they walked past, Mr Attal, 35, looked more than once to his older counterpart for protocol cues. On his first official trip outside Europe, the fresh-faced French leader was all up front and didn’t want to put a foot wrong.

Mr Atal is appointed to his new job President Emmanuel Macron in January, in an attempt to revive an ailing government. Since then, the prime minister has faced a series of troubles, from angry farmers and teenage ultra-violence to a worsening public finance situation. His recent trip to Canada provided a welcome break. Mr. Attal seemed unashamed of discussing geopolitics with Mr. Trudeau, reviewing Canadian troops, wooing investors, signing autographs for schoolchildren and standing by the Quebec parliament for long periods of time. When it comes to the situation in Quebec, the French tread on dangerous diplomatic ground; Mr. Attal shrugged off the provocation. “He’s a fast learner, and not just about protocol,” said one French minister.

Teathat situation The regime under which Lt. Gen. Oleksandr Pavliuk took control of Ukraine’s ground forces in February could hardly have been less auspicious. The president was quarrel in public With the outgoing commander-in-chief, mobilization was faltering and Republicans in the U.S. Congress had delayed Significant aid package The agreement would last for six months, giving Russia a chance to regain the initiative.

Yet the general dismissed suggestions that his new role could be a poisoned chalice. Despite recent setbacks on the front lines, he insisted Ukraine should not be judged by “a few people… who are scared and screaming in panic.” His weakened soldiers are “standing firm” because they know what is at stake. “Wherever Russia is, there is nothing. Where there used to be thriving cities, there are now skeletons, corpses and ruins.”