Guardian foreign correspondent Luke Harding will talk about his new book, written on the frontline of the war in Ukraine.
When, just before dawn on February 24 2022, Vladimir Putin attacked Ukraine, Harding was there, reporting on the ground in Kyiv. Invasion is a firsthand account of the initial days of shock and panic, the grim reality of this ongoing war, and the unheard human stories behind the headlines. It describes the horrors of Mariupol and Bucha; Russia’s brutal occupation in the south; the battle for the Donbas; and the courage of a people prepared to risk everything to preserve their nation’s freedom.
Harding also offers portraits of the war’s two leaders. One, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is an actor-turned-president who rallied support on a global stage. The other, Russia’s veteran president, is a dictator who dwells in a strange and unreachable realm. He examines the ideological, religious and personal reasons behind Putin’s decision to invade. And he confronts a crucial question: which side will prevail in this terrible conflict?
Harding is the Guardian’s former Moscow bureau chief and a #1 New York Times best selling author. Invasion has been described as “a superb first draft of history” and “compelling, important and heartbreaking … outstanding war reportage”.
Join him in conversation with historian Simon Sebag Montefiore as they discuss Europe’s largest armed conflict since 1945 and its consequences for both countries and the rest of the world. They will also be answering your questions.
Simon Sebag Montefiore is a historian and the author of Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar and The Romanovs 1613–1918. His new book, The World, tells the history of humanity through the overarching theme of family.
