Not for the faint-hearted, this is no easy read, but an absolutely essential one for those who want to understand more about Russia’s military capability and strategy. The book details the many wars that Putin has been involved in since coming to power, right up to the invasion of Ukraine. There’s a lot of detail here – about weaponry, military organisation, troop movements, strategy and the political thinking that drives it all. I admit to skipping some of the more technical passages, although these will no doubt delight readers who are knowledgeable about such matters. It’s an important, perhaps vital, and certainly valuable addition to Russia studies; clear thinking in its analysis, authoritative and meticulously researched. My rating reflects this aspect although not my actual enjoyment, which was limited.

Very well written. The author chronologically outlines the path that led Putin to become the leader he is today.

Readers who, like me, are new to Mark Galeotti will need to prepare themselves for a tour de force in respect of Russia’s evolution since the days of Gorbachev and how Putin has attempted to shape the military to be an instrument of his ‘near abroad’ adventures. Although the book was mainly written prior to the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine Galeotti has taken the opportunity to supplement and revise the text to a limited extent to take account of this illegal invasion. However, readers should not think that the events of 2022 render this book out of date. Nothing could be further from the truth as Galeotti shows how the arc of history, as illustrated in Putin’s military adventures in Georgia, Moldova, Chechnya and Syria, trace a path that led Putin to this fateful miscalculation in Ukraine.

A book with a title such as this was never going to be an easy read. The savagery and brutality of the military adventures launched by Putin are spelled out in some detail - as they needed to be to understand what is happening in Ukraine today. As the BBC’s Quentin Somerville noted early in the Ukraine invasion, when referring to the indiscriminate and overwhelming artillery strikes on civilian areas - ‘If you don't recognise these tactics, then you haven't been paying attention.’

Galeotti is an acknowledged expert on Russia’s armed forces and it really shows throughout the text. Readers need to be prepared for detailed analyses of the efforts to modernise the Russian Armed Forces and the parts played by a host of political and military figures. However, these are always justified by the need to place the events being described into a relevant timeline and historical context. Conclusions are carefully set out and relate well to the analysis set out in the text.

This is a book that is unlikely to help you go to sleep, but it is a work that deserves the most careful reading by politicians and those in our militaries who are charged with ensuring that the armed forces of the West remain prepared for the threat that Russia under Putin’s leadership represents. Strongly recommended.

Dr. Galeotti offers a clear and detailed overview of Russia's wars of aggression over the past several decades. I was particularly horrified by the level of human atrocity in the campaigns in Chechnya and Georgia. I believe the author does an excellent job illustrating Putin's grand ambitions for a return to regional power akin to the years of the Soviet regime (if not more grand 'Tsarist' ambitions). That said, I think the work downplays the level of incompetence and demoralization in the officer ranks of the Russian army, and the downright degraded condition of Russian soldiers. Sadly, this work is a timely account of violence in Eastern Europe, and the truly delusional ambitions of a power-mad despot.

Putin's Wars is a timely overview of the conflicts in which Russia has been involved since Vladimir Putin became prime minister and then president of Russia, from the First Chechen War to the two military incursions into Georgia, the annexation of Crimea and the eventual invasion of Ukraine itself. But it also looks more broadly at Putin's recreation of Russian military power and its expansion to include a range of new capabilities, from mercenaries to operatives in a relentless information war against Western powers. This is an engrossing strategic overview of a rejuvenated Russian military and the successes and failures on the battlefield. Thanks to Dr Galeotti's wide-ranging contacts throughout Russia, it is also peppered with anecdotes of military life, personal snapshots of conflicts, and an extraordinary collection of first-hand accounts from serving and retired Russian officers.

“Putin’s Wars” by Mark Galeotti is an eye opener. With the current events happening in Ukraine I was interested to know more about Putin and his history in power. Previous to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine I knew of Putin but I knew nothing of his regime and his previous invasions during his current reign as President of Russia. This book is a fascinating insight into a man who by all accounts is a deranged narcissist, albeit one who holds an extremely important position of power, written by someone who has knowledge and has been able to produce an articulate account of a man who despite his crimes, holds a sinister fascination. I would recommend this book to everyone who enjoys reading and learning about history and historical figures. Putin may be a current figure, but his past is fascinating.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an unbiased review.