Putin’s Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine

Galeotti compiles an encyclopedic study of the Russian armed forces. Based on meticulous research, which he says includes “some 30 years of interacting with soldiers,” he traces the evolution of the Russian military from its steep decline following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent humiliation of the first Chechen war (fought between 1994 and 1996) through the military reforms carried out during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rule. Those keen on martial matters will appreciate the in-depth examination of Russia’s military doctrine; the dissection of various armed branches and services, including those in charge of covert and subversive operations; the study of kit and armaments; and much more. Galeotti also tells the story of Putin’s bid to rebuild, rearm, and modernize the military as a way of restoring Russia’s global stature. These efforts bore fruit in the second Chechen war (actively fought between 1999 and 2000) and in later operations aimed at asserting Russia’s interests beyond its borders in Georgia, Crimea, and Syria. But the debacle of his 2022 invasion of Ukraine suggests that 20 years of high-spending military reform was wasted. Galeotti forecasts that the war in Ukraine will be a long, ugly slog.