Hello you lot, it's Ryland inside a Marshall store. Because Synch have only gone and cinched it again. They've partnered with Marshall Motor Group, bringing Faf-free servicing to over 70 locations across the country. So while an expert technician gives your motor the once over, whatever the make-on model, you get service too, with a frothy coffee and handy Wi-Fi. Really done, Royalin. Take your time, mate, to book your next service.

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See cinch.com.uk forward slash servicing for details, terms and exclusion supply.

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the economist hello and welcome to the intelligence from the Economist. I'm Jason Palmer.

And I'm Oire Ogunbe. Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

It's all shrouded and circumstantial, but it seems increasingly clear that Ukraine has forces fighting in Sudan.

We ask how Ukraine's war at home might be helped by its efforts in Africa.

And, I don't think you can truly call yourself a manga fan if you don't know who Toriyama Akira is.

Our obituries editor pays tribute to the father of Dragon Ball Z.

But first.

In most cases here on the intelligence, we cover the results of an election after it's actually taken place.

But the results of Russia's election, for which voting starts today, are already known.

The presidential candidate, known as Vladimir Putin, the country's longest-serving dictator since Joseph Stalin, will be re-elected.

So this is not really an election because the definition of election is that it offers a choice.

And the essence of this election is the absence of choice.

Arkady Ostrowski is the Russia and Eastern Europe editor for the economist.

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