In Soviet times, Western observers would scrutinise video footage of state occasions, like military parades on Red Square, to try to learn more about Kremlin hierarchy.

Who was positioned closest to the leader? What did the body language say? Which officials were in and out of favour?

In some ways, not much has changed.

The footage present-day Kremlinologists are currently pouring over is from Wednesday's landmark meeting of Russia's Security Council, in which Vladimir Putin told his top officials to start drafting proposals for a possible nuclear weapons test.

It was an important moment. Not one you'd expect a trusted lieutenant to miss. But Sergei Lavrov , Russia's veteran foreign minister, was conspicuously absent - the only permanent member of the Council not present.

Accordin

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