Chapter 9: The Big Game

//Eyes Only// New Red October - Part I

FLASHBACK TO OCTOBER 2023

I. The Kremlin’s Crucible: Putin’s Lament

Moscow, October 30: The Depths of Night

Vladimir Putin stood at the head of the Security Council’s marble table, his reflection fractured in its polished surface. The room, lit by the pale glow of situation maps, was buzzing with the static of live feeds from Gaza, Dagestan, and the Donets…