Description
Book SynopsisFew military organisations have had a greater importance than the Wagner Group: at a cursory glance no more than a disreputable private mercenary group dedicated to committing war crimes yet also, astonishingly, the challengers of the Kremlin on 23-24 June, 2023—unheard of in over two decades of Vladimir Putin’s rule. From its inception in 2014 this nebulous organisation operating from Russia was intentionally cloaked in questions. How was it able to operate alongside Russia’s top government officials? How could it deploy the logistical systems of the Russian army up to and including ordering air attacks with fighter planes of the Russian Federation, despite the deep antipathy of Russia’s powerful defence minister Sergei Shoigu? Why did the Kremlin provide such an ample helping hand to its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, for over a decade? In this compelling book, former Financial Times journalist Owen Wilson investigates the Wagner Group and their ties to Vladimir Putin. It skilfully sets out its history and the dramatic death of Yevgeny Prigozhin to cast a searching light on the person who ultimately stands behind the group.
Trade ReviewAUTHOR’S PREVIOUS PRAISE: ‘Excruciating.’ Sunday Times; Financial Times Best Book of the Week; ‘Goes behind the headlines.’ Independent; ‘Shocking.’ Metro
Table of ContentsPrigozhin’s Sledgehammer 5 Introduction 7 1 The ‘Polite Men’ 13 2 Syrian Massacre 20 3 War Crimes for Sale 23 4 The Conoco Battle 28 5 Expansion 37 6 Libya, 2018 43 7 Putin’s Key to Africa 53 8 Prigozhin 60 9 Troll Factory 70 10 Kremlin Bear Hug 77 11 Careful What You Wish For 85 12 Global Attraction 94 13 Mercenary Colonies 99 14 Moral High Ground 115 Part 2 Nemesis: the Second Invasion of Ukraine 123 1 Lukashenko 124 2 Botched Invasion 128 3 Beating the Russian Army 137 4 Dropping Like Flies 144 5 Prisoner Deception 149 6 Expanding the Empire of Death 159 7 Assassination Attempt 165 8 Bakhmut’s Meat Grinder 171 9 Army of Convicts 177 10 Pyrrhic Victory 182 11 Bakhmut Propaganda 189 12 Wagnerovcis on Steroids 195 13 Wings Clipped 200 14 Eastern Ukraine 206 15 Bombing Notice 212 16 Undermining 218 17 Retreat 225 18 Russian Clowns 233 19 Rebellion 240 Putin Inc 247
