The Return of Russia

From Yeltsin to Putin, the Story of a Vengeful Kremlin

By: James Rodgers

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Hardcover | 27 January 2026 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Hardcover
336 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
2.35 x 1.52 x 3.5

Hardcover

$51.75

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An incisive and engaging account of post-Soviet Russia—showing how and why the country has come into confrontation with the West

The escalation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered the most violent conflict seen on European soil for decades. Millions of people have been displaced, and thousands killed. As the conflict continues, many in the West are seeking to understand why Putin has followed his ambitions to such extreme ends.

James Rodgers examines the development of Russia's relationship with the West from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 to the present day. Rodgers argues that, while Putin has long distrusted the West, Western policies have made the situation much worse. He shows that Putin's political career, with its transformations from supportive ally to implacable critic of the West, has been the defining influence on Russia's place in the contemporary world.

Following the invasion of Ukraine, the West needs to develop a new understanding of Russia's views and possible actions—rather than simply ignoring them, as has been the case since the end of the Cold War.

About the Author

James Rodgers has reported on Russia since the end of the Soviet period, completing three postings in Moscow for Reuters and the BBC. He is the author of four books on international affairs, the most recent being Assignment Moscow: Reporting on Russia from Lenin to Putin. He is reader in international journalism at City University of London.

Industry Reviews

"An extremely valuable and comprehensive treatment of trends in post-Soviet Russian politics and society, and how these have impacted Russia's place in the world."-Precious Chatterje-Doody, co-author of Russia, Disinformation, and the Liberal Order

"The Return of Russia is an exciting account of the descent into authoritarian threats to dissidents and neighbouring countries told by a fine correspondent who was there at the time."-Robert Service, author of Kremlin Winter: Russia and the Second Coming of Vladimir Putin

"An insightful and deeply researched study of what went wrong with Russia and the West's reaction to the country after the optimism of the 1990s. James Rodgers has drawn on illuminating interviews and archive documents to tell this important story which helps us to understand present-day Russia and its behaviour."-Terry Stiastny, author of Believable Lies: The Misfits who Fought Churchill's Secret Propaganda War

"A welcome contribution to the debate about what went wrong, coming from someone who has long observed-and often been present at-key moments in Russian history as a journalist, from the final days of the Soviet Union to the rise of Putin's regime. Rodgers offers a clear-eyed analysis, drawing extensively on documents from the time."-Andrei Soldatov, co-author of Our Dear Friends in Moscow: The Inside Story of a Broken Generation

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