The Russo-Ukrainian War

The Return of History

By: Serhii Plokhy

Narrated by: Victor Bevine

An authoritative history of Europe’s largest military conflict since World War II, from the New York Times best-selling author of The Gates of Europe.

Despite repeated warnings from the White House, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 shocked the world. Why did Putin start the war—and why has it unfolded in previously unimaginable ways? Ukrainians have resisted a superior military; the West has united, while Russia grows increasingly isolated.

Serhii Plokhy, a leading historian of Ukraine and the Cold War, offers a definitive account of this conflict, its origins, course, and the already apparent and possible future consequences. Though the current war began eight years before the all-out assault—on February 27, 2014, when Russian armed forces seized the building of the Crimean parliament—the roots of this conflict can be traced back even earlier, to post-Soviet tensions and imperial collapse in the 19th and 20th centuries. Providing a broad historical context and an examination of Ukraine and Russia’s ideas and cultures, as well as domestic and international politics, Plokhy reveals that while this new Cold War was not inevitable, it was predictable.

Ukraine, Plokhy argues, has remained central to Russia’s idea of itself even as Ukrainians have followed a radically different path. In a new international environment defined by the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the disintegration of the post-Cold War international order, and a resurgence of populist nationalism, Ukraine is now more than ever the most volatile fault line between authoritarianism and democratic Europe.

©2023 Serhii Plokhy (P)2023 Audible, Inc.

The deep understanding of world events is not possible without the information in this book

The sequencing of events across the globe and the deep historical relationship between Russia and Ukraine are brilliantly presented. Keep up the fine work.

Calm and reasonable recollection of a beginning of this conflict

Even for a person who follows this conflict very close on a daily basis it was still a surprising amount of nuanced and detailed explanations of events.
As a write this review, Ukraine actually launched its own invasion in Kursk so I can only hope for an even more exciting read once the dust eventually settles.

The First Year of the War In Depth. Very Readable

I have been obsessed with the war and sought out every bit of information I could. But it was Professor Plokhy who brought out the human story, filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge and put it all in context. Folks ,we are living in historical times: the decline and fall of Russian imperialism. The agony and bravery of the Ukrainians has ripped Russia's mask off and shown the world what it is: inefficient, hugely unequal economically, corrupt, brutal and alcoholic. The reader does a fine job.

Good

Yeah it's good, here's some more words to meet the limit yeah bois I like history

Excellent Overview of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

Succinctly traces the origins and key turning points of the opening stages of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine for those who haven’t obsessively followed events online since February 2022. Would very much like a follow up to the present day.