A timely publication, and a very well written one at that. I've read a few of Plokhy's other books and have thought them very well done as well. This obviously did not disappoint. I think everyone should read this, especially considering the fact that we're constantly fed with an everlasting stream of not-always-accurate news about the on-going global conflicts. This would sort some things and perspectives out, hopefully anyway. I'm glad to have read this.

The premise of Mr. Plokhy's latest book, The Russo-Ukrainian War, initially baffled me—writing a history about an ongoing subject. However, considering the historical narratives of ongoing phenomena like the Palestinian displacement since 1948, which could be considered in a similar vein, the approach gains a certain validity.

The book's structure, divided into events before and after 24 February 2022, is predictable, with the latter section dominating at 75% of the book, arguably bordering on semi-journalism due to the ongoing nature of the conflict. Despite this, Mr. Plokhy asserts in the afterword that while the conflict remains fluid, discernible trends have emerged. Ukraine's resilience against the Russian invasion and its strengthened national identity stand out, while Russia faces repercussions, seeking alternative markets for its oil and gas resources in its bid for revenues, and losing its standing as a major power in the evolving bipolar world order centred around Washington and Beijing.

Surprisingly, the first part of the book provides more insightful analysis. It delves into the major factors driving the war, stemming from Ukraine and Russia's divergent paths post-Soviet collapse. Ukraine, with its democratic strides, preference towards the European integration project, and NATO aspirations, contrasts with Russia's failure in democratisation in the 1990s, leading to current state of autocracy.

Mr. Plokhy's analysis is subtle, offering a more detailed perspective than Timothy Snyder's The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America, although the two books complement each other nicely when read together. While Mr. Snyder links Russia's de-democratisation to broader democratic challenges in the U.S. and Europe, Mr Plokhy emphasises the differing experiences of Russia and Ukraine in managing their post-Soviet spaces, highlighting the widening gap in their perceptions. The nuanced approach makes Mr. Plokhy's work important to understanding the complex Russo-Ukrainian dynamics.

Given the significance of the war in Ukraine to the future peace and prosperity of the world, and Europe in particular, this book is important in offering a clear overview of the history of the conflict; the Russian efforts to distort that history; and the courageous efforts of the Ukrainian armed forces in, at first, resisting the Russian invasion before pushing the invading forces back from Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson. Plokhy is a master of the detail and the significance of the war to wider world issues, although - inevitably - the account has to leave off in August 2023, when this edition was finalised. Together with Mark Galeotti’s excellent ‘Putin’s Wars’ this book should be required reading for all who want to understand the background and importance of this conflict to European security. It will be useful, too, to readers wanting to understand the distorted ‘explanation’ offered by Putin apologists for this illegal and destructive war of attempted conquest.