Overreach: The Inside Story of Putin and Russia’s War Against Ukraine

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By turning Russia into somewhere that no liberal wanted to live, they could ensure power passed to their own children, many of whom already hold top government jobs.

Overreach is a very interesting book that provides background, context and immediacy to the lead-up and the progression of Russia's invasion of Ukraine up to September 2022. Moscou Babylone (Les Escales, 2013), a novel based on Matthews' experiences in Moscow in the 1990s, has been published in French, [20] German [21] and Czech.By mid-March, even Matthews himself has to leave for a while, fearing that his 19-year-old son, a Russian passport holder, may get drafted. But as a historical rough draft of this century’s first major conflict, it’s compelling – if uncomfortable – reading.

The world is on their side,” one old friend tells Matthews while doom-scrolling the news at her barstool.

He also gives a detailed account of many of the idealogues that introduced Putin to Russian Ultranationalism and Fascism, in addition to figures in his inner circle. Chosen as a Book of the Year by The Economist magazine: "A tragic, heroic story, magnificently told with an understated rage. Though he outranked nobody still seated at the table, his presence caused every man to stiffen and compose his face. Writing a work of history while the events are taking place is an almost impossible task, but Matthews does it with aplomb in this very readable book.

Part 1 covers the historical origins of the 2022 invasion, stretching from Kyivan Rus��� to the election of Volodymyr Zelensky as President of Ukraine in 2019. In September the Ukrainian army was pushing to recapture as much land as possible before winter set in and Europe froze under a natural gas embargo. Various actors in the war such as the foreign volunteers, the Chechens, the Wagner mercenaries are each discussed in turn. There is much evidence that Putin, after the lighter Western response from his misdeeds in 2014 was expecting a similar reaction in scale in 2022.The war isn't going to end any time soon, but as the anniversary approaches events will undoubtedly unfold which means there will be episodes missing from it.

A very interesting read on the entire history of conflict of Ukraine, until the present day conflict with Russia. In 1997 he joined Newsweek Magazine's Moscow Bureau as a correspondent, covering the Second Chechen War.The author makes clear that Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine was in many ways an unusual gambit by him. An Impeccable Spy: Richard Sorge, Stalin's Master Agent (Bloomsbury, 2019) [24] A biography of German Communist spy Richard Sorge, the first English language work written with extensive access to the Soviet archives. Addendum: one wonders what happens now with the implosion of the American congress when funds to Ukraine is halted. The portrait of Patrushev is also helpful for introducing readers to an essential figure in Russia’s recent past, the current war, and possibly the future too.