Sometimes it's worth digging into what look like less important stories, to see what lessons the offer about the big picture developments, so I tackle three - who's likely to be the next ambassador to Cape Verde, why airfare hikes contribute to street violence, and why Naryshkin is now claiming to be a long-time mate of Putin's - and see what I can make of them.For those figures I threw out, the proportions of staff of different Presidential Administration departments estimated to be current or former security officers are:63% Security Council (SB) Secretariat 28% Foreign Policy Directorate (UVneshP)19% Expert Directorate (UE)71% Directorate for Interregional and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries (UMKSZS),62% Directorate for Cross-Border Cooperation (UPS) For the share of one-to-one or one-to-few meetings with the President in 2019:1% Kostyukov (GRU)5% Zolotov (National Guard(5% Kolokoltsev (MVD)11% Naryshkin17% Bortnikov (FSB)23% Shoigu (MoD)29% Patrushev9% OtherYou can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows, and become one of the podcast's supporting Patrons and gain question-asking rights and access to exclusive extra materials right here. 

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