Georgia just a pawn in ‘Tsar’ Putin’s master plan to restore the old order

Emboldened by the oil and natural gas resources at its disposal, falling back on a million soldiers, thousands of nuclear missiles and the third-largest military budget in the world, Vladimir Putin obviously considers the time is right to lay his strong hand of cards on the table

I SPENT part of last week in the Crimea. It used to be the playground of the Soviet elite: the whole politburo had dachas there.

It is a place that has an overwhelming sense of history. The conference at Yalta, now a popular Ukrainian holiday resort, determined how post-war Europe would be carved up between the great powers. Around the coast is Sebastapol, Ukrainian territory but still (for now) home to Russia’s Black Sea fleet. From there ships were sent last week to provide the support for the troops pouring into Georgia.