In Russia, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree last week dismissing Vladislav Surkov as his adviser. Given the power he wielded, and his improbable rise, this news has become one of the most talked-about things in Russia.  It's not exactly a transparent place, so what has resulted are various theories regarding the reasons for this decision and its potential consequences. Most theories are built around the Ukrainian invasion issue, which has been supervised by Surkov's team for a long time.  However, supervising does not mean that Surkov singlehandedly devised and implemented the foreign policy strategy in this direction.  Ukraine has a special civilizational, religious, political, and economic value to Russia from the standpoint of its long-term geopolitical interests. And the country's foundation is laid by one person only: Vladimir Putin.  He perceives Ukraine (as well as Belarus) as an...(Read Full Post)