London, Britannia.
The oak-paneled walls of the Britannian Parliament echoed with the murmur of anxious voices. Prime Minister Edmund Hastings stood before the assembled members of his cabinet, the weight of recent events heavy on his shoulders. A large map of Eastern Europe was pinned on the wall behind him, Ruthenia marked with a red circle.
Hastings began, his tone somber. "Ladies and gentlemen, the situation in Ruthenia has escalated beyond mere unrest. The massacre in St. Petersburg has exposed the fragility of the Tsar's grip on power. We are witnessing the unraveling of a nation."
Foreign Secretary Richard Bellamy cleared his throat. "Prime Minister, reports indicate that revolutionary groups are gaining traction across Ruthenia. Factories are shutting down, transport lines are paralyzed, and entire regions are refusing to recognize imperial authority."
