Invasion
Russia’s Bloody War and Ukraine’s Fight for Survival
“Essential reading for those who want to understand the most important conflict of the 21st century.”
— Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat
The first book of reportage from the front line of the Ukraine war. This is a powerful, moving first draft of history written by the award-winning Guardian journalist and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Collusion and Shadow State.
For months, the omens had pointed in one scarcely believable direction: Russia was about to invade Ukraine. And yet, the world was stunned by the epochal scale of the assault that began in February 2022. It was an attempt by one nation to devour another.
Invasion is Luke Harding’s compelling chronicle of the war that changed everything. For this breathtaking work of reportage he spent months reporting on the ground during the build up to the conflict and afterward; his book tells of the initial days of shock and panic, the grim reality of this ongoing war, and the unheard human stories behind the headlines. Invasion also offers insightful portraits of the the war’s two great personalities. One, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is an actor-turned-president who rallied support on a global stage. The other, Vladimir Putin, is a dictator who dwells in a strange and unreachable realm. Harding examines the ideological, religious and personal reasons behind Putin’s decision to invade. And he confronts a crucial question: which side will prevail in this terrible war?
With the ripple effects of the largest armed conflict in Europe since 1945 already being felt beyond Ukraine and Russia’s borders, it is more vital than ever to understand how the situation on the front line will have profound effects for us all. Written in Luke Harding’s starkly transfixing style, Invasion makes for essential reading.
Reviews
“Brilliant… Harding is a one of the best experts on Putin’s Russia. Invasion reads like an exciting military-political thriller, but all its characters and events are true.” — Andrey Kurkov, author of Grey Bees
“Compelling, important and heartbreaking with all the urgency and immediacy of outstanding war reportage, here is the Russian invasion of Ukraine minute by minute, political and personal, from the cabinets of power to the streets and apartments of ordinary Ukrainians by a master reporter and analyst.” — Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The Romanovs: the Story of the Russian Empire
“The definitive story of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, based on extensive reporting from the frontline. Luke Harding is an excellent writer and witness who deftly tells the moving human stories of victims in this terrible war. He also explains to us why Putin embarked on this foolhardy invasion.” — William Browder, author of Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin’s Wrath
“Luke Harding has once again written a superb first draft of history, this time of the Ukrainian war. An excellent, moving account of an ongoing tragedy.” — Anne Applebaum, author of Twilight of Democracy
“Your book will stand alone as a seminal work that gives an invaluable perspective to the war.” — Amy Knight, New York Review of Books