A Small, Stubborn Town: Life, death and defiance in Ukraine – ‘The mesmerising story of how in the face of a mighty army, ordinary people can say "No."' Mail on Sunday

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James Meek (author and journalist): “Harding’s terse, piercing book is a gripping description of a turning point in Russia’s assault on Ukraine, a story of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people in a small town, and an accessible, limpid account of what battle is actually like in this war, in all its tragic, absurd detail. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Sergei grabs a Molotov cocktail and lies in wait for Russian tanks as they push towards Dead Water Bridge.

Fiona Hill (Russia expert and author of “There Is Nothing For You Here): “Fascinating, vivid, often harrowing, and also deeply moving. After the shootout, Voznesensk’s funeral director drove his van around the surrounding hills and woods, picking up the bodies of Russians and stuffing them into transparent bags. A Small, Stubborn Town : Life, death and defiance in Ukraine – ‘The mesmerising story of how in the face of a mighty army, ordinary people can say "No. Mail on Sunday: “A mesmerising story of how in the face of a might army, ordinary people can sometimes turn and simply say, ‘No.If Russian troops could capture Voznesensk, and its small, strategic bridge, then they might be able to seize the whole Black Sea Coast and end the war in days. One of them shouted to the Ukrainian volunteers sitting in it and out of ammunition: “Guys, we’re with you.

This is an improbable but true story of incredible courage, heartbreaking loss (Voznesensk's defence wasn't a bloodless one) and sheer bloody-mindedness. But a plan is emerging, and there's a chance it could save not just Voznesensk, but the rest of southern Ukraine. A gripping work of reportage that tells the story of a pivotal moment in Ukraine's war, this is a real-life thriller about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances with resilience, humour and ingenuity.I'm the author of "These Are Not Gentle People," a true-crime novel set in South Africa and published in South Africa, the UK and the Netherlands. In March 2022, one week after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, a small farming town in the south of the country became the unlikely focus of the Kremlin’s attention. Photograph: State Emergency Service Of Ukraine/Reuters View image in fullscreen A building in Voznesensk destroyed by a Russian missile.