Best Russian & Former Soviet Union Politics Books of 2026

The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History by Serhii Plokhy is an authoritative and definitive account of Europe's largest military conflict since World War II. Plokhy traces the origins, course, and potential future consequences of the conflict, providing a broad historical context and examining the ideas, cultures, and politics of Ukraine and Russia. He argues that Ukraine remains central to Russia's idea of itself, making it a volatile fault line between authoritarianism and democratic Europe. This superb and erudite work is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the current geopolitical landscape.

This book, "State and Revolution," is a 2011 reprint of the 1932 edition. It is a full facsimile of the original edition that describes the role of the State in society, the necessity of proletarian revolution, and the inadequacies of social democracy in achieving revolution. The author argues that the State is a tool for class oppression, and communist revolution is the only remedy for the abolition of the State. This book is a must-read for those interested in Russian history and political theory.

Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin's Most Dangerous Hackers is a chilling, globe-spanning detective story that considers the danger posed by Russia's most dangerous team of cyberwarriors, known as Sandworm. The book tells the true story of the most devastating act of cyberwarfare in history and the desperate hunt to identify and track the elite Russian agents behind it. The author, Andy Greenberg, delivers a nuanced account of the cyberwars of the future and places his story in the long arc of Russian and Ukrainian history. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in cybersecurity and espionage true accounts.

The Story of Russia by Orlando Figes is a fresh take on the thousand years of Russia's history, exploring the ideas and national mythologies that have shaped the country's past and politics. From the founding of Kievan Rus in the first millennium to Putin's war against Ukraine, Figes delves into the impulses that have driven Russian history, including the medieval myth of Mother Russia's holy mission and the nationalist myth of Russia's unjust treatment by the West. This enthralling book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand modern Russia and its relationships with the world.

Putin by Philip Short is a comprehensive biography of the world's most dangerous man, Vladimir Putin. The book covers the last sixty years of Russia's tumultuous history intertwined with Putin's life. Short gives an unflinching and objective account of Putin's regime, which is autocratic and deeply corrupt. The book cracks open the strongman's thick carapace to reveal the man behind the mask Putin wears on the world stage. Drawing on almost two hundred interviews conducted over eight years in Russia, the United States, and Europe, Putin is the last word for years to come.

This book, "How the West Brought War to Ukraine," by Benjamin Abelow, offers a thought-provoking perspective on the Ukraine crisis. Rather than blaming Vladimir Putin for the conflict, the author argues that the United States and NATO bear much of the responsibility for the situation. Abelow provides a concise history of the events leading up to the crisis, and explains how the West's policies have put the world at risk of nuclear catastrophe. Endorsed by prominent defense experts and policy analysts, this book offers new insights into the deeper sources of the Ukraine war and how the conflict might be resolved.

The Greatest Speeches of Donald J. Trump is a compilation of the 45th President's most important speeches and words to the nation. Edited by Craig Shirley, a presidential historian and bestselling author, the book includes historical photographs throughout and an introduction by Shirley himself. From Trump's campaign announcement to his farewell address, this collection offers insight into the former President's leadership style and vision for America. Whether you're a Trump supporter or not, this book is a valuable resource for those interested in American politics and history.

The Gulag Archipelago [Volume 3]: An Experiment in Literary Investigation is the final volume of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's masterpiece, offering a moving account of resistance within the Soviet labor camps and his own release after eight years. This book is considered a timeless classic and the best non-fiction book of the twentieth century by Time magazine. Solzhenitsyn's writing is powerful and serves as a single indictment of a political regime. The new foreword by Anne Applebaum adds value to the book. This book is a must-read for those interested in Russian literary criticism books.

The Billion Dollar Spy by David E. Hoffman is a gripping true story of Cold War espionage and betrayal. Adolf Tolkachev, a Soviet engineer, became one of the most valuable spies for the U.S. during the height of the Cold War. Despite the risks, Tolkachev and his American handlers had clandestine meetings, used spy cameras, props, and private codes, eluding the ever-present KGB in its own backyard. However, a shocking betrayal put them all at risk. Drawing on previously classified CIA documents and interviews with firsthand participants, Hoffman's book is a shrewd character study of spies and the spies who run them. It's a must-read for anyone interested in espionage true accounts.

Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich is a symphonic oral history of the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the emergence of a new Russia. Alexievich's distinctive documentary style, combining extended individual monologues with a collage of voices, records the stories of ordinary women and men who are rarely given the opportunity to speak, whose experiences are often lost in the official histories of the nation. This book is a magnificent tapestry of the sorrows and triumphs of the human spirit woven by a master. It offers a panoramic portrait of contemporary Russia, highlighting the memories of oppression, terror, famine, massacres, pride in their country, hope for the future, and a belief that everyone was working and fighting together to bring about a utopia.