The Penguin History of Modern Russia

Russia's modern history has been shaped by revolution, dictatorship, mass terror, economic upheaval and two world wars, and the country is still undergoing huge change. In this acclaimed history, now revised and updated with a new introduction and final chapter, Robert Service offers a panoramic account of Russia's turbulent journey from the last years of the Romanov Empire to the present day. He traces the complex relationship between rulers and ruled through the reign of Nicholas II, the revolutions of 1905 and 1917, the rise of Lenin and Stalin, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of Vladimir Putin's Russia. This new edition examines the profound consequences of Russia's war against Ukraine, the transformation of its relations with the West, and its efforts to redefine its place in a rapidly changing international order. Throughout, Service shows how the legacies of empire, communism and state power continue to shape the country and its future.