Putin's Revenge

Lucian Kim draws on his decades of pioneering and revelatory reporting in Russia, Ukraine and Europe to guide us through the twists and turns leading to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. In a fast-paced, vivid narrative that bursts with fresh insight, Kim upholds his reputation as one of America’s finest foreign correspondents. This is the book for anyone who wants to understand exactly why and how Putin launched Europe’s largest land war since WWII. -- Fiona Hill, The Brookings Institution Lucian Kim has written a definitive account of the tragic chapters leading up to Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Kim draws on his deep grasp of this history, punctuated by personal stories from his decades of reporting on Ukraine and Russia, to tell a complex story in a highly readable way. Putin’s Revenge is a must-read for scholars, government officials, students and general audiences. -- Michael McFaul, author of <i>From Cold War to Hot Peace: An American Ambassador in Putin’s Russia</i> Putin's Revenge is a sober and in-depth analysis of the fight between autocracy and democracy in the post-Soviet world. In this vivid recounting of recent history and firsthand experience, Kim captures our attention until the very last page. -- Iuliia Mendel, author of <i>The Fight of Our Lives: My Time with Zelenskyy, Ukraine's Battle for Democracy, and What It Means for the World</i> Perceptive, analytical, highly readable, enlivened by the author’s personal recollections as a long-time correspondent working across Russia and Ukraine, this book captures the drama of Russia’s precipitous slide into war and tyranny. A must-read. -- Sergey Radchenko, author of <i>To Run the World: The Kremlin's Cold War Bid for Global Power.</i> In an engaging narrative that weaves together historical backdrop with firsthand experience, the journalist Lucian Kim takes us inside the Russo-Ukrainian war, giving us a deep understanding of Putin and the nature of his regime. -- James Goldgeier, American University