From Our Own Correspondent

Kate Adie introduces dispatches on Russia, Germany, Hong Kong, India and Sweden.A Russian soldier who once responsible for guarding Russia's nuclear weapons reveals why he fled the army. In a secret meeting, at an undisclosed location, he tells Will Vernon what he makes of President Vladimir Putin's threats towards the West.Earlier this month German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s argumentative three-way governing coalition collapsed, triggering snap elections in February. Damien McGuinness ponders what Berlin's Christmas lights can tell us about the political mood in the country.In Hong Kong, Danny Vincent reports from inside the courtroom where the pro-democracy media mogul, Jimmy Lai, is on trial. Mr Lai is already serving a prison sentence following a separate trial for his involvement in pro-democracy protests in 2019. Since then, China has imposed a sweeping national security law which many fear is being used to dismantle and chill all political opposition.In Rajasthan, in India, there are efforts underway to