The Financial Times – Best Books of 2022: Politics. 'The prolific military chronicler and analyst Mark Galeotti has produced exactly the right book at the right time.' The Times. A new history of how Putin and his conflicts have inevitably transformed Russia, including his devastating invasion of Ukraine. Written by one of the leading experts in contemporary Russian culture, 'Putin’s Wars' is a timely review of the conflicts Russia has been embroiled in since Vladimir Putin became prime minister and then president. From the First and Second Chechen Wars to the military invasion of Georgia, the annexation of Crimea, and the eventual full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Mark Galeotti has created a vivid picture of the inner workings of the Kremlin. Updated for this paperback edition to include both the thwarted coup attempt of June 2023 and a clear review of how and why the Russian armed forces have struggled in Ukraine, this is a thought-provoking book on how Putin and his wars have inevitably shaped Russia in the 21st century.