Still, a big worry is that, even under Mr Primakov’s relatively sophisticated tutelage, Russia seems unable to break free of its view of the world as a sort of zero sum game in which countries become strong only by making other countries weak. In the near abroad, where it counts for something, Russia pursues that logic with hard cynicism. Presumably, it would do the same in the more distant abroad if it only had the chance. Mr Primakov is calm, he is calculating, he can be amusing. But there is something chilling in his Lubyanka tinted eyes.

The Economist 23 Nov 1996