Putin's Wars

Mr. Galeotti makes Russia’s ever-changing military status read like a spy novel. You might think information about drones, tanks, aircraft, and MANPADS is boring. I beg to differ.

Starting with the disarray caused by the breakup of the Soviet Union, Mr. Galeotti tells us who changed things, who failed to, and why. He matches the retooling of the Russian military to war lessons learned in Chechnya, Georgia, Crimea, and Syria.

Mr. Galeotti has intimate knowledge of history, personal connections with individuals in the Russian military, and a brilliant way of putting it all together. He asked a Russian soldier his… show more.

Mark Galeotti is one of the most respected commentators on Putin’s regime, frequently giving expert opinion on television, radio, and the press.

Putin’s Wars illuminates the bloody thread linking Putin’s wars, running from Chechnya through Georgia and Syria to Ukraine. Putin deliberately chose violence to achieve his ends because it was effective and popular at home.

Galeotti reveals the extraordinary brutality of the Russian way of war which mercilessly targets the civilian population in order the break the will to resist and to warn others of the consequences of resisting Russian demands. Successful in Chechnya and Syria, this policy unraveled… show more.