Money, not "Mother Russia" is the problem. Over time, Putin made Western politicians & businesses his assets, while oligarchs & associates weren't turned "our" way. Putin is the leader of crime syndicate, not a country. Control him, & the subsequent vacuum, now.

9 years after the Eye exposed rampant Russian money-laundering in London and 6 years since we revealed the scale of anonymous offshore ownership of UK property, it takes a war to finally make the government take action. Full story in the brand new Private Eye, out today.

This is from 2013. The scandal was obvious back then to most right-minded people but not deluded Chelsea fans who kept chanting the name of #Abramovich from the stands (and, shamefully, still do)

Kate Middleton before Mar. 18 / Kate Middleton on Mar. 18

Netflix have Harlen Coben's Done It Again. With Richard Armitage.