The Media and Communications Directorate at the Syrian Ministry of Defense said that Syrian army groups, backed by armored vehicles and armored personnel carriers, entered the centers of Latakia and Tartus after attacks escalated by groups it described as “outlaws,” targeting residents and security forces. In a statement carried by …

Israel is behind a secret pact with the United Arab Emirates to destroy Saudi Arabia’s role as the Gulf’s regional powerbroker. The astonishing claim is just one of a series of sensational statements made by a senior Arab royal whistle blower to Middle East Monitor on Tuesday evening. The news …

Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin has once again emerged victorious from a behind-the-scenes battle for key positions in the FSB leadership. His close associate, General Ivan Tkachev, previously reported on by The Insider, has been appointed head of the FSB’s Military Counterintelligence Department (MCD). In the mid-2000s, Sechin virtually dominated the …