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Meanwhile, on the other side of the world.

Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.

As one of the founding countries of the Soviet Union, Ukraine was undoubtedly a crucial part of it.

It possessed the largest area of black soil in Europe, controlled the Black Sea's access to the ocean, and its vast territory housed one-third of the Soviet army and one-third of its nuclear missile silos...and, of course, it once had the largest nuclear power plant.

Furthermore, the origins of Russian imperial civilization were closely linked to this land and its people—in people's minds, Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus were roughly equivalent to the Soviet Union.

However, just half a day ago, this country had just concluded the most important national referendum since its founding.

The Ukrainian "Free Electorate," with an overwhelming 99.85% vote, declared Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union.

The first Ukrainian President, Kravchuk, followed up with an inaugural speech stating that the newly born Ukraine would not participate in Gorbachev's proposed Union of Sovereign States—meaning that the traditional Soviet bloc had officially and completely collapsed.

At this moment, Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, was filled with a festive and joyful atmosphere.

The hammer and sickle flags and the red and blue flags of the member states flying on the city's main thoroughfares began to be lowered one after another. City workers and excited volunteers were now hanging the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag on lampposts, streets, shops...and every place where a flag could fly.

Citizens waved banners, placards, and flags, walking happily and proudly through the city's streets, celebrating this complete democratic victory and envisioning a bright future.

The newsstand owners had keenly placed the pre-prepared newspapers on the outside, and the newspapers with the fresh scent of ink appeared in every corner of the city within a few hours. The title above was particularly eye-catching—

"Embrace Freedom, Praise Democracy, Ukraine Officially Independent from Today"

On the rooftop of a three-story commercial building, Grindelwald stood with his hands behind his back, coldly watching the city that had fallen into revelry.

On this day, the eyes of the world were focused on this country located in the heart of the Soviet Union.

According to the data Grindelwald had collected in recent days, this could be said to be the most important Soviet component after Russia, whether in terms of military, population, productivity, land, or food... it was a behemoth that could not be ignored.

As one of the world's three largest black soil regions, Ukraine, known as the breadbasket of Europe, could be said to be the only weather vane in Elena's plan to judge whether to start all actions—its independence meant that the Soviet Union had officially taken its last breath, and when a food crisis began to break out in Ukraine, it would be when all the former Soviet member states fell into despair.

After weeks of planning and preparation, the newly established Destiny Group had successfully established bases in major cities in Ukraine, and had built an independent Floo Network system through fireplaces and cabinets.

And with the end of today's Ukrainian national referendum, it officially declared the completion of the first stage of the embedding task, and there would be no more Soviet Ministry of Magic Internal Affairs or obstructive Soviet purges to check and investigate.

However, for Grindelwald, the things they needed to worry about would not be reduced as a result.

Even because of Ukraine's declaration of independence, the things that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Destiny Group needed to prepare to do suddenly became heavier and more urgent.

"Stupid and short-sighted Muggles, it's hard to believe that it was such a group of people who reversed the almost rotten situation of the non-magical world in the same winter decades ago, those Soviet wizards who sacrificed for Muggles in the war... tsk tsk..."

Grindelwald shook his head with emotion, a trace of regret and playfulness flashed across his face.

"But this is also good news for us, right?"

Half a step behind Grindelwald, a tall, thin wizard shrugged. "As far as I know, since the Chernobyl incident a few years ago, the wizards of this country have almost all moved to other places, leaving mostly incompetent wizards with low magical abilities or stubborn old people, which are not worth worrying about at all."

"Don't be complacent, our opponent is not those guys who have been defeated by time." Grindelwald glanced at his old partner. "The Magical Congress of the United States should not be able to help but start sneaking in, as well as the forces of those goblins and various opportunists in the non-magical world."

If before this, the whole world firmly believed that the Soviet Union could not fall...

Then from today onwards, a death countdown officially appeared above the head of this behemoth—hyenas chasing after profits will soon gather on this land, waiting for that possibility to gradually become a reality.

No matter where the future leads, the crowd laughing in front of them will pay everything for their so-called "freedom."

The only difference is, who will eat the fattest part in this feast.

"...Let's go, go to the previously contacted bank, prioritizing those Muggle banks controlled by Gringotts."

Grindelwald looked at the crowd immersed in joy on the street, retracted his gaze, and whispered to the wizards behind him.

"From now on, pledge all the assets we hold as collateral, exchange them for cash, and then buy new shops, and then cycle in turn—remember, use several different identities, and eat in as much of this country's bread workshops, light industrial factories... and of course, farmland and shops in the core areas at any cost."

From this moment on, regardless of whether the Gringotts goblins now recognize the rubles issued by the Russians, and how Gringotts wants to deal with the ruble's exchange rate crisis, it has no major impact on the entire plan.

Because Hogwarts has obtained crucial start-up capital and has gained a foothold in this land in advance.

Relying on a large amount of rubles, US dollars, and pounds in cash, Hogwarts and Destiny Group can effortlessly buy a large amount of fixed assets that have not yet become bubbles, and the capitalist country of Ukraine cannot resist the power of capital at all.

Then, according to the original plan, they will use high interest rates as bait to obtain a large number of ruble loans to purchase other fixed assets, and use this to carry out crazy reproduction similar to cancer cells.

Simply put, it is to repeat what Elena did at Gringotts a few months ago.

But this time, the market faced will be larger, and the benefits obtained will be more abundant.

Losing the protection of the Soviet Union, a tightly knit alliance, perhaps their government can barely resist malice from the outside world, but those originally weaker commercial banks are completely at the mercy of others.

Gringotts is just a small step.

Compared with the pitifully small amount of currency circulation in the magical world, Elena had already set her sights on the almost endless amount of currency in the non-magical world months ago—the winner takes all, this is the real financial war.

The curtain has finally been raised.