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 inexorably reshaped Russia, including his devastating invasion of Ukraine. 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 the 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. Russia continues to dominate the news cycle throughout the Western world. There is no better time to understand how and why Putin has involved his armed forces in a variety of conflicts for over two decades. Table of Contents Author's NoteList of IllustrationsList of Maps and DiagramsAbbreviationsCast of CharactersChronology1. IntroductionPART ONE: BEFORE PUTIN2. Born in Chaos3. A Military in Crisis4. The First Chechen War5. The Wars of Russian AssertionPART TWO: ENTER PUTIN6. Putin's Priorities7. The Second Chechen War8. Ivanov, the Initiator9. Serdyukov, the Enforcer10. Georgia, 2008 (1): Tbilisi's Move …11. Georgia, 2008 (2): … Moscow's Counter12. 'New Look' ArmyPART THREE: THE NEW COLD WAR13. Shoigu, the Rebuilder14. Crimea, 201415. Donbas, 2014–16. Lessons of the Donbas War17. Syria, 2015– (1): The Unexpected Intervention18. Syria, 2015– (2): Lessons of the Syrian CampaignPART FOUR: REARMING RUSSIA19. Rumble for Ruble20. Armiya Rossii21. The Sky is Russia's!22. Contesting the Sea23. Power Projection: Blue and Black Berets24. The Spetsnaz25. The Nuclear BackstopPART FIVE: THE FUTURE26. Political Warfare27. New Generation Warfare28. The Challenges of the Future29. Ukraine 2022: Putin's Last War?30. Conclusions: The Eurasian Sparta?NotesSelected English-language BibliographyIndex