Russia

Although it's been 107-years since Rasputin's own death, he remains one of the most captivating and controversial figures of modern times

While Russia's war machine has suffered greatly, it has not collapsed. In fact, it is thriving and is making advances in some places.

Oil remains at the forefront of the wider impact of Israel's war on Gaza, but other implications will be felt for years to come, including currency factors.

The Ukraine war has shrunk Russia's ability to export weapons, but Western sanctions and Moscow's damaged global image have also made importers more reluctant to buy Russian arms.

The war in Gaza has given the Kremlin powerful grounds for accusing the West of double standards. This explains why President Vladimir Putin's rhetoric has changed to sound more anti-Israeli.

Workers in former Soviet states have long headed for work over the border, but migrants ending up in the army are now a deterrent and alongside lower wages, jobs are now on offer elsewhere

Moscow has had a longstanding relationship with Hamas. It seeks to erode a US-led world order that Putin calls an "ugly neo-colonial system" coming to an end in favour of a multipolar world.

The grain deal between Russia and China is part of a growing trade portfolio and has important implications for both countries and the rest of the world.

Russia's credibility in the region was diminished by its backing of the Syrian regime, so it has limited cards to play. But Moscow stands to benefit from Western distraction in its war on Ukraine.

Kyiv now controls state-of-the-art armour. Its strategies will determine if the hardware can help change a complex war under skies it does not control, or if the arrival is just symbolic.