MOSCOW — If appearances are to be believed, Vladimir Putin has a new point man in the Balkans.
Nikolai Patrushev, a Kremlin hawk, career intelligence officer and close associate of the Russian president, is the head of Russia’s Security Council, known for his fiery nationalism, conspiratorial world view and extensive espionage experience.
An unofficial Balkans portfolio for Patrushev would fit an emerging pattern. While Russian foreign policy officially falls to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, actual decision-making is increasingly driven by a small coterie of intelligence officers and defense officials with close access to Putin.
“Russia has been increasingly becoming an ‘adhocracy,’ where individuals …read more
Source: European Voice
