Strategic Shift

Moscow, Russian Federation – Ministry of Defense Headquarters

The meeting room wasn't grand, but it was secure. The kind of place where real discussions happened—concrete walls, soundproofing, no windows, and one projector screen showing the footage that had now spread globally.

On the screen: a blurry, low-resolution video of a Titan Mk-I exosuit taking out armed militants in Northern Chad. The image was grainy, but the outline of the suit, the fluid movement, and the sheer efficiency of the takedown were clear enough.

General Sergei Volkov sat at the head of the table, flanked by advisors and senior officers. The room was silent as the video looped again.

"This is now the standard," Volkov said. "And we're behind."

No one disagreed.

Across from him, Colonel Ivan Petrov nodded slowly. "Our current projects can't match this. Not in mobility. Not in sync speed. Not even in durability."