The Russian 'Special Military Operation' to invade Ukraine and incorporate the country back into the Russian sphere of influence has stalled. The continuing cost of the war is degrading the Russian economy. The President decides to open another front by recruiting Russian oligarchs to use their own funds in a coordinated cartel to short the UK currency on the foreign exchange markets, thereby weakening the support of the western allies for the Ukrainian war effort. Sam Brent is serving as a protection officer for one of the Russian oligarchs visiting London and alerts an MI5 colleague to the Russian plot. Cooperation between the allies intelligence agencies and central banks averts the Russian plot with serious repercussions for the President and his ministers.