“Message reads: GCHQ intercept of email from Russia Today states that Commander Western Military District accompanied by unnamed VVIP—possibly even the President—to visit Ligatne, site of recent success against Latvian insurgents. TV crews to be in position for arrival 270930 local May. VVIP party expected 271000 local May.”

“Got him!” said Krauja, her fists clenched. “That’s the President coming to gloat over the murder of another bunch of Latvians. If it’s him, they’ll want TV shots of him at the front line on Russia Today. Probably waving a rifle. They want to broadcast Russia’s victory to the world. Fucking bastards . . .”

Nobody said anything, while Krauja recovered from her outburst. She paused and then continued, her voice calmer. “Great work by your friend at GCHQ, Tom. The Russian General Staff forbid any use of email by their soldiers in case it’s hacked. But I’m guessing they’ve been caught out by their obsession with favorable propaganda, as Russia Today only use email, text and mobiles. All easily hackable. Appropriate somehow.”

“Right,” said Krastiņš, interrupting. “That’s 0930 tomorrow morning. We need to get to work. We’ve got to make a plan, give orders, rehearse, and infiltrate into position before first light.”

He spoke in Latvian to a Special Forces sergeant in the bunker. Then he turned to Morland. “Let’s meet in thirty minutes to start planning. We’ll need all the good ideas you can muster. And we need your people giving us any updates they can as to what the Russians are planning.”

The rest of the day passed in a maelstrom of planning, orders and rehearsals. The Mercian team, together with Krauja, Krastiņš and the Stinger teams, were to infiltrate back through the forest to set up another anti-helicopter ambush. Krastiņš was emphatic that the aim was not to kill the VVIP or Commander Western Military District, no matter how tempting.

“If he’s killed, he’ll become a martyr to the cause of glorious Russia,” explained Krastiņš. “Much better to humiliate him on TV. We’ll shoot down another helicopter and we’ve got to try to make sure he’s in the picture when it happens. Failing that, we’ll blow something up behind him and in camera shot. That way they won’t be able to edit it out. It’ll go viral in seconds and he’ll be humiliated in Russia. What’s more, we’ll have demonstrated that we can pick and choose what we do to him and that will encourage our people to keep resisting. This is all about perception and not actual sabotage.”

The sentiment was fully endorsed by PJHQ when Morland backbriefed them on the plan via the planned sked, followed by a direct order from the PM that neither the President nor the General were to be targeted.