After almost 23 years in power, Russian President Vladimir Putin currently appears more weakened and vulnerable than during any other period of his presidency, thanks in large part to his disastrous decision to invade Ukraine.
On this week’s Departures, we bring back the veteran journalist Luke Harding, who for years serving the Guardian’s correspondent in Moscow before being expelled. (Harding previously joined Departures in 2020 – listen to that episode here.)
Harding’s latest book, “Invasion: The Inside Story of Russia’s Bloody War and Ukraine’s Fight for Survival,” takes readers on a trip along the various battlefronts of this conflict, bringing rich detail and color to the main protagonists on both sides.
As a reporter on the ground in Kyiv when the invasion started, Harding describes the sense of unreality surrounding the war, and the astounding resilience and leadership shown by the Ukrainian people and their leadership in resistance to Russian aggression.
In this discussion with host Robert Amsterdam, Harding shares his views on Putin’s health concerns and decision-making, how the conflict has reordered global affairs, especially in European security cooperation, and has contributed to a further isolation of an increasingly intolerant, totalitarian state in Russia.