What is the role of the man who sent Kronov a copy of Ulysses with a British accent in Spy Storm? What's with the blue gem ring's finger?

This man with a British accent is Archie Cummings, a British agent. He came to share the information of Valenti Jorjevik Minov and gave him a copy of Ulysses. Working with Edward. Which means he asked Edward to kill the professor. Giving this book to Edward is the so-called mutual benefit between intelligence agencies. Generally, agents in their own country have to borrow agents from other countries to get rid of them. Therefore, when Edward was in trouble, the so-called "gratitude" gave him this book, in fact, telling him who the real Ulysses was. The finger with the ring is a subordinate of Edward. Being killed by Soviet agents when opening up a new battlefield means that the mission failed.