The Dogs of Mariupol : Russia’s Invasion and the Forging of Ukraine’s Iron Generation – 9781785909733

When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Kateryna hung up her dresses,Oksana and Stanislav put down their lawyers’ briefs and Oksen slammed shut hisphilosophy textbooks. Alongside thousands of their fellow citizens, theystrapped on armour, picked up weapons and chose to risk their lives for thefreedom and independence of their homeland. Many would never return.

Journalist Tom Mutch woke up in Kyiv on 24 February to aworld changed for ever. Making a fateful choice to stay and cover the invasion,he witnessed the forging of an ‘iron generation’ of young Ukrainians. Withfirst-hand reporting from all the major battlegrounds and front lines, TheDogs of Mariupol recounts the war’s notorious encounters, such as theBattle of Kyiv and the Siege of Mariupol, but also uncovers untold stories,like the 1st Tank Brigade’s desperate defence of Chernihiv and the civilian guerrillaarmy fighting overwhelming odds in Sumy.

This is not a triumphalist account of Ukraine’s fight,however. It painstakingly documents the immense human catastrophe wrought onUkrainian society and the divisions between those who fought and those whofled. It also delves deeper into events to answer important historicalquestions: could the Russian plan to capture Kyiv have succeeded? Did Ukrainemake a fatal error by committing for so long to the defence of Bakhmut? Andwith more western support, could Ukraine have won this terrible war outright?