About a year ago, Vladimir Putin started talking about a plot by his opponents to discredit him by killing one of their own leaders, and blaming him. On the anniversary of the Reichstag fire, which the Nazis used to justify purging Communists and clamping down “emergency” restrictions, one of Putin’s top opponents was shot in the heart of Moscow, and none of the security people saw anything.

Already at war to re-establish “Imperial” (Russian, Soviet, whatever) control over the Ukraine, Putin looks to be positioning for his move to crush what’s left of democracy.

Tom Heyns

Chelsea