Opened in December 2014 and built on the banks of the Moscow River, the vast, neo-Stalinist classic edifice sent a powerful message about the new power of the reinvigorated Russian state, after the chaos and weakness following the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. The President, like the early Romanovs after the “time of troubles” of the early seventeenth century, saw himself as a new Peter the Great. It was his destiny to regenerate the greatness of the Russian Empire. The new top-security, fortified facility, with its imposing war rooms, brand new supercomputer in the heart of a state-of-the-art data processing center, secret transport routes for emergency evacuation and helicopter landing site, was a visible manifestation of his intent. It had better work perfectly now the time had come to use it as it was always intended or in this new, reinvigorated Russia, it would be very much more than Filatov’s job on the line.

“Sir,” Filatov’s Military Assistant interrupted, “all the members of the War Cabinet are assembled and the President’s helicopter is due in ten minutes.”

Shortly afterward, Komarov and Filatov, as the headquarters commander, stood at the edge of the NDCC helicopter landing site while the bulbous shape of the President’s preferred helicopter, an updated version of the tried-and-trusted Russian rotary-wing workhorse, the Mi-8 “Hip,” landed in a tornado of wind, roar of engines and clatter of rotors.

The side door slid open. Ignoring the steps rushed forward by the attentive ground crew, the President jumped nimbly out, his eyes hidden by wraparound sunglasses despite the overcast Moscow day.

The President gave Filatov a perfunctory acknowledgment of his smart salute. “Take me to the War Cabinet Room,” he ordered.

Filatov anxiously led the President past the Guard of Honor, not a man shorter than six foot three, with burnished, gleaming jackboots, all presenting arms with the standard ceremonial firearm, the old SKS Soviet semi-automatic carbine.

Then it was into the building with doors opening as if automatically, into the lift and down to the ballistically protected basement and the principal War Room, with its concentric rings of desks and banks of computers. Around the walls were interactive screens showing maps complete with icons indicating the positions of Russian formations and those of the enemy during the rapid advance through Ukraine to Crimea, together with satellite photographs of the destroyed town of Mariupol in southeast Ukraine. Other TV screens showed live 24-hour news: Russia Today, Al Jazeera, BBC News 24 and CNN.

As he walked onto the bridge overlooking the War Room, the President was greeted by General Mikhail Gareyev, Chief of the Russian General Staff; the high-cheekboned, muscular Tatar, very much the tough-looking, twenty-first-century Russian general, in bizarre contrast to the coiffured Filatov. Gareyev quickly updated the President on the ease with which Russian forces were cutting through to Crimea.

“We estimate we’ll have the route to Crimea secured within twenty-four hours, Vladimir Vladimirovich.”