Invasion
The Inside Story of Russia's Bloody War and Ukraine's Fight for Survival
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4.3 • 4 Ratings
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
New York Times bestselling author of Collusion and The Snowden Files Luke Harding’s personal, frontline reporting on Russia’s harrowing invasion of Ukraine, the biggest news event of the year and an inflection point in international politics
“An excellent, moving account of an ongoing tragedy.” —Anne Applebaum, New York Times bestselling author of Twilight of Democracy
In a damning, inspiring, and breathtaking narrative of what is likely to be a turning point for Europe—and the world—Guardian correspondent and New York Times bestselling author Luke Harding reports firsthand on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. When, just before dawn on February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin launched a series of brutal attacks, Harding was there, on the ground in Kyiv. But this senseless violence was met with astounding resilience—from, among others, the country’s embattled president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy—and the courage of a people preparedi to risk everything to preserve their nation’s freedom.
Here are piercing portraits of the leaders on both sides of this monumental struggle, a haunting depiction of the atrocities in Bucha and elsewhere, and an intimate glimpse into the ordinary lives being impacted by the biggest conflict in Europe since the Second World War. Harding captures this crucial moment in history with candor, insight, and an unwavering focus on the human stories that lie at its heart.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Guardian foreign correspondent Harding (Shadow State) delivers a comprehensive and riveting account of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Opening the story at a cosmopolitan dinner party in Kyiv on the night before the invasion, he notes that many world leaders and even well-informed Ukrainians thought Putin's threats were a bluff. Harding also explains the historical inconsistencies in Putin's argument that Russians and Ukrainians are "one people," descended from the medieval princedom of Kyivan Rus, and shows how the Russian military's actions—including the bombing of a theater in Mariupol, which killed 600 civilians, and the "prolific pattern of murder and predation" carried out in the cities of Bucha and Hostomel—belie Putin's stated goals. Familiar episodes, including Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy's rise to power and the story of Ukrainian border guards telling a Russian warship to "go fuck yourself"—are given new depth. Elsewhere, Harding's interview subjects pinpoint the absurdity and cruelty of the conflict: "It's Kyivan Rus," says one soldier. "Kyiv is the mother of cities, not Moscow." Enriched by Harding's deep knowledge of the region and impressive access, this is a valuable report on an ongoing geopolitical crisis.
