Downfall - by Mark Galeotti (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The compelling story of the rise, fall and death of the Wagner Group's Yevgeny Prigozhin, and what this tells us about the chaotic new direction of late Putinism, by the acclaimed author of A Short History of Russia.

'Absolutely gripping, deeply authoritative, hugely important and lethally lurid' --Simon Sebag Montefiore

Evgeny Prigozhin emerged as one of the most dangerous warlords in the world and as one of Vladimir Putin's chief rivals in Russia's tumultuous political climate, exiled after leading Wagner's attempted coup and killed in a mysterious plane crash. But what is the truth about this enigmatic figure, his role in the war with Ukraine, and the chaos unleashed across Russia by his turn against Putin? And, the aftermath of his death, what is next for Russia in the new stage of late Putinism that Prigozhin's life forged?

Drawing on years of research, this book traces the rise of Russia's most prominent non-state actor and examines the political climate that propelled a convicted gangster with no government office to the formidable role he has come to occupy. An essential story of Russia's recent history, Downfall is also a compelling insight into its likely future.

Review Quotes

"A persuasive, detailed case that Russia's deficiencies are more severe and more deeply rooted than many Western officials and pundits had detected." ―New York Review of Books on Putin's Wars

"An impeccable resource for those seeking context for the current crisis in Ukraine." ―Publishers Weekly on Putin's Wars

"A well-researched, in-depth look at the history of organized crime in Russia. Students of crime and Russian history will find this book to be interesting and illuminating."--The Washington Timeson The Vory

"A cogent and accessible history that anyone interested in organized crime in general, and the Russian variety in particular, will want to pick up." --Publishers Weekly on The Vory

"A slim, accessible account of the megacountry." --Kirkus Reviews on A Short History of Russia

"An accessible and illuminating summary of how modern Russia came to be." --Publishers Weekly on A Short History of Russia

About the Author

Professor Mark Galeotti is one of the foremost Russia-watchers today, who travels there regularly to teach, lecture, talk to his contacts, and generally watch the unfolding story of the Putin era. Based in London, he is Senior Non-Resident Fellow at the Institute of International Relations Prague, having previously headed its Centre for European Security, and was before then Professor of Global Affairs at NYU. A prolific author on Russia and security affairs, he frequently acts as consultant to various government, commercial and law-enforcement agencies.

Anna Arutunyan is a Russia-American journalist, analyst and author. Born in Moscow, she was raised and educated in the United States before returning to Russia as a journalist. She covered two decades of Russian politics, first as reporter and editor at The Moscow News, then as a correspondent and analyst. She has served as Russia's senior analyst for the International Crisis Group, and only left Russia after the February 2022 invasion. She has a wide range of contacts in Russian politics and business and worked on the ground in both Crimea and the Donbas after the outbreak of the undeclared conflict in 2014. She is now Associate Director of the consultancy Mayak Intelligence and a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center. Her articles have appeared regularly in USA Today, Foreign Affairs, and other publications worldwide. She is the author of several books on Russia, including The Putin Mystique (Skyscraper), translated into over a dozen languages, and the latest on Russia's war in Ukraine, Hybrid Warriors: Proxies, Freelancers and Moscow's Struggle for Ukraine (Hurst).