A Telegraph Book of the Year, soon to be a BBC Radio 4 dramatisation.
'Extraordinary.' Philippe Sands
'We are touched by the courage and dignity of Andrew Harding's characters - qualities that the author must surely possess in equal measure.' - Andrey Kurkov
'A story of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people. - James Meek
'This gripping account is the Russian invasion of Ukraine in microcosm.' - Lindsey Hilsum
It's March 2022 and Russian tanks are roaring across the vast, snow-dusted fields of Ukraine. Their destination: Voznesensk, a town with a small bridge that could change the course of the war.
The heavily-armed Russians are expecting an easy fight - or no fight at all. After all, Voznesensk is a quiet farming town, full of pensioners. But the locals appear to have other ideas.
Svetlana, a grandmother with arthritis, reacts in fury when Russian troops turn her cottage into their blood-soaked headquarters. Valentin, a quick-talking lawyer, joins the town's 'Dads Army' defenders, crouching in a trench with an AK47. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Sergei grabs a Molotov cocktail and lies in wait for Russian tanks as they push towards Dead Water Bridge.
The odds are terrible. But a plan is emerging, and there's a chance it could save not just Voznesensk, but the rest of southern Ukraine. Meanwhile, inside the tanks, an inner battle rages. As Russian officer Igor Rudenko prepares to invade, he has a secret. He is Ukrainian himself.
A gripping work of reportage that tells the story of a pivotal moment in Ukraine's war, this is a real-life thriller about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances with resilience, humour and ingenuity.
'[Andrew Harding is] one of our most gifted and sensitive journalists' - Jon Snow Andrew Harding is a British journalist and author of two internationally acclaimed non-fiction books, The Mayor of Mogadishu, and These Are Not Gentle People, which won South Africa's top literary prize. Andrew has been a foreign correspondent for BBC News for three decades, reporting from the former Soviet Union, Asia and Africa. He has covered many of the world's conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, and has won numerous awards, including an Emmy. The Russians are invading. But the locals have a plan. A powerful story of under-dog resistance and triumph which will capture readers' imaginations - the author's BBC report on the story has been viewed over 5 million times. A feat of storytelling by one of the UK's greatest foreign correspondents, perfect for readers of Diary of an Invasion by Andrey Kurkov or The Optician of Lampedusa by Emma-Jane Kirby. 'A short, brilliant book... Its characters could have walked out of a novel' 'A cracking story ... that never loses sight of the "murderous absurdity" of Russia's war' '[A] remarkable story ... propulsive' 'Harding has told a mesmerising story of how in the face of a mighty army, ordinary people can sometimes turn and simply say, "No."' 'A short, brilliant book on the battle for Voznesensk. Harding captures the mixture of courage, bewilderment and mania of Ukrainians who decide to fight the invasion' 'Harding recreates the fighting blow by-blow ... [and] the personalities of his interviewees come to life' 'Riveting and vividly written ... this gripping story is the literary equivalent of a superb miniature painting' 'Extraordinary; filled with a deep sense of enduring humanity. Immensely powerful, timely and real.' 'It would be wonderful if the story told in this beautiful little book were the author's invention. But alas, the story itself is pure truth. Andrew Harding's characters invite the reader into their daily struggle which we witness with awe and empathy. We are touched by their courage and dignity - qualities that the author must surely have possessed in equal measure to record these extraordinary events.' 'The story of Ukraine in perfect microcosm - ordinary people doing absolutely extraordinary things - beautifully told'
