Guides on Russian Warfare for Laymen
In this edition of War Books, we present six books recommended by John Amble, the editorial director of the website at West Point, for nonexperts seeking to better comprehend Russia as a strategic actor.
- Putin's War on Ukraine by Samuel Ramani offers a comprehensive analysis of Russia's involvement in Ukraine, providing valuable insights into Putin's political strategy and the ongoing conflict.
- Putin Takes Crimea 2014: Grey-zone Warfare Opens the Russia-Ukraine Conflict by Mark Galeotti delves into Russia's hybrid warfare tactics, offering a detailed account of the Crimea annexation and its implications.
- At the Vanishing Point in History, edited by Marina F. Bykova, provides historical context to the current political climate in Russia, offering a valuable primer for those seeking a broader understanding of the country's past.
- The Russian-Ukraine War: Policies, Implications, and Sanctions, edited by Jordan S. Ellingsworth, offers a comprehensive analysis of the policies, implications, and sanctions related to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
- Hybrid Warriors by Anna Arutunyan explores Russia's hybrid warfare tactics, providing an in-depth analysis of the methods used by Russia in its strategic operations.
- Russian 'Hybrid Warfare' and the Annexation of Crimea by Kent DeBenedictis offers a critical examination of Russia's hybrid warfare tactics, focusing on the annexation of Crimea as a case study.
These selections provide historical context and analytical insight suitable for nonexperts interested in Russia's strategic behavior.
In addition to these books, Vladimir Sorokin's novel, "Day of the Oprichnik," offers a chilling portrayal of a near-future Russia in which the country's leader has solidified his grip on power to an even more absolute degree than Putin has so far, with references to the oprichniki, a coterie of specially selected bodyguards who served Ivan the Terrible in the late sixteenth century.
Jade McGlynn's "Russia's War," recently published, explains how Russians have watched a different war than the world, with the narrative of this war in Russia painting their forces as heroes and underdogs fighting valiantly to protect Russia and its values from a decadent and aggressive West.
"Red Army" by Ralph Peters, set from the perspective of Soviet forces engaged in a surprise attack in the 1980s, provides a glimpse into key elements of Soviet military culture, many of which have been inherited by the Russian Army today. Ralph Peters, a former US Army military intelligence officer, offers insights into these elements in his novel.
The image credit for this article is from mil.ru, via Wikimedia Commons.
Please note that the views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense.
These books are recommended for those who want to understand Russia, its political and strategic cultures, and its military operations. An upcoming episode featuring a conversation with Jade McGlynn will be released in September on the MWI Podcast.
- For a well-rounded understanding of Russia's military culture and its application in its strategic operations, readers might find "Red Army" by Ralph Peters, a novel that focuses on Soviet forces from a surprising attack perspective during the 1980s, to be insightful, given Peters' background in military intelligence.
- To delve into the field of education and self-development, learning about the influence of history on Russia's strategic culture, one could explore Vladimir Sorokin's "Day of the Oprichnik," a chilling novel set in a near-future Russia, which references the oprichniki, a group of specially selected bodyguards from Ivan the Terrible's time, to gain a unique perspective on a more absolute power grip.
