The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence
Penguin Random House, 2025, ISBN 9781405957946, 400 pp, RRP AU$24.95 (softcover)
Author: Yaroslav Trofimov
Reviewed by: Oleksandra Molloy
In his book Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence,[1] Yaroslav Trofimov reports firsthand perspectives on Russia’s war against Ukraine. In the ever-evolving field of contemporary warfare, Trofimov’s book stands as a critical document, offering both granular battlefield details and a sweeping geopolitical overview of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Unlike conventional military histories that analyse war from a purely doctrinal perspective, this book immerses the reader in the lived experiences of soldiers, commanders, and civilians caught in the crossfire. Trofimov’s conversations with political and military leaders and firsthand observations add depth to the book, making it both a historical record and a gripping war chronicle.
As a Ukrainian-born chief foreign affairs correspondent for the Wall Street Journal with extensive experience covering conflict zones, Trofimov presents a detailed, firsthand perspective on the war, capturing both the harrowing realities of combat and the enduring spirit of the Ukrainian people. Trofimov, accompanied by his photographer Manu Brabo and security adviser Stevo Stephen, embeds himself in the frontline experience. Trofimov paints a vivid picture of how the war has unfolded, not just in military terms but also in its impact on civilians, soldiers, and the nation’s identity. The author captures the evolution of combat strategies, the shifting nature of modern warfighting, and the role of both technology and human ingenuity in resisting a numerically superior force.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Trofimov has spent several months at the heart of the conflict, very often on its front lines. In this authoritative account, he traces the war’s decisive moments—from the battle for Kyiv regions, like Bucha and Irpin, to southern Mariupol and north-eastern Bakhmut—to show how Ukraine and its allies have turned the tide against Russia. Putin had intended to conquer and annex Ukraine with a vicious blitzkrieg, redrawing the map of Europe in a few short weeks with seismic geopolitical consequences. But in the face of this existential threat, the Ukrainian people have fought back, even as the territorial battle continues to seesaw to this day.
With deep empathy and local understanding, Trofimov describes how everyday Ukrainian citizens—doctors, computer programmers, businesspeople and schoolteachers—risked their lives and lost loved ones. He blends their brave and tragic stories with expert military analysis, providing unique insight into the thinking of Ukrainian leadership and mapping out the decisive stages of what has become a perilous war for Ukraine, the Putin regime and, indeed, the world. It is the story of ordinary people fighting not just for their homes and their families but also for justice and democracy.
One of the book’s central themes is Ukraine’s strategic and psychological resilience. Trofimov illustrates how Ukrainian forces adapted, innovated and resisted, turning what many expected to be a swift defeat into a protracted and determined defence. The book delves into tactical shifts, battlefield conditions and the role of international support, providing a well-rounded view of how the conflict evolved. Beyond the battlefield, Our Enemies Will Vanish explores the human cost of war. Trofimov highlights the sacrifices made by ordinary Ukrainians, from volunteers and medics to families separated by the conflict. He does not shy away from depicting the suffering caused by war crimes, displacement, and the constant threat of missile strikes.
One of the book’s highlights is Ukraine’s asymmetric warfare strategies. Trofimov expertly dissects how Ukrainian forces transformed from a conventional military into a highly adaptive force capable of leveraging drones, Western weaponry, and deep local intelligence networks:
What the world witnessed was not just a battle between armies but a contest of innovation. Each week brought a new tactical adaptation, a fresh countermeasure, as Ukraine rewrote the rules of modern conflict in real time.[2]
By emphasising Ukraine’s agility in integrating real-time intelligence with battlefield manoeuvres, the book offers a nuanced understanding of how wars are won no longer solely by firepower but by superior decision cycles and information dominance—key tenets of manoeuvre warfare theory. Military professionals studying the evolution of asymmetric warfare will find Our Enemies Will Vanish invaluable. Ukraine’s ability to counter a numerically superior adversary through mobility, precision strikes, and decentralised command structures provides a contemporary case study that echoes conflicts such as the Soviet–Afghan War and insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of the book’s most striking insights concerns the role of drone warfare, with Trofimov noting:
The defining image of this war may not be tanks rolling into battle, but the silent hum of a drone above a Russian convoy, a single operator altering the course of an entire engagement.[3]
This observation reinforces the book’s overarching theme: technological agility, rather than sheer numbers, will define the wars of the 21st century.
Great military books are as much about the people waging war as they are about the tactics deployed. Trofimov ensures that Our Enemies Will Vanish does not devolve into a purely operational analysis; instead, it brings to life the individuals shaping the war’s outcome. The book introduces us to Ukrainian commanders who faced overwhelming odds yet managed to hold critical positions, often with dwindling resources. ‘In this war, waiting for orders gets you killed. We adapt, we improvise, and we win’.[4] This sentiment underlines a crucial theme of the book—while Russia’s military doctrine remains entrenched in Soviet-era rigidity, Ukraine’s decentralised model, fuelled by empowered junior leaders, has proven vastly superior in key battles such as the defence of Kyiv and the counteroffensives in Kharkiv and Kherson. Military strategists often emphasise numbers and tactics, but Our Enemies Will Vanish reminds us that wars are fought by individuals who must adapt, endure and overcome. The book serves as a critical text on leadership in combat and resilience under extreme conditions.
Beyond strategy and tactics, Our Enemies Will Vanish does not shy away from the grim realities of war. Trofimov documents the atrocities committed in Ukrainian cities, presenting harrowing testimonies that echo the investigative rigor of Timothy Snyder’s Bloodlands.[5] His descriptions of Russian occupation tactics—targeting civilians, weaponising winter, and mass deportations—serve as a sobering reminder that modern warfare is not solely confined to the battlefield. The book makes a powerful case for accountability in warfare:
War is not just fought with bullets and artillery. It is waged against history, identity, and memory. For Ukraine, survival is not just a matter of holding territory but preserving a national consciousness that its enemies seek to erase.[6]
This perspective elevates the book from a mere war chronicle to a larger reflection on war crimes, historical erasure, and Russia’s brutal aggression against a sovereign and democratic state.
No modern war operates in isolation, and Trofimov dedicates significant attention to the global implications of Ukraine’s resistance. He examines how Western military aid—ranging from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System to Leopard 2 tanks—has transformed the battlefield, drawing comparisons to Cold War era proxy conflicts. The book’s discussion on the geopolitical chessboard recalls Lawrence Freedman’s Strategy: A History, particularly in how nations calibrate military assistance to balance deterrence with escalation risks. The book offers insight into how Ukraine effectively combined Western-supplied weaponry with home-grown tactics, making it a must-read for those studying modern military logistics, force projection, and the role of allied support in active conflict zones. Trofimov does not just recount battles; he situates them within the larger context of European security and global deterrence theory. Historians will appreciate the depth of his analysis regarding the war’s long-term implications for NATO and global power dynamics.
The book is written in a gripping, fast-paced style that reflects the urgency of the events it describes. Trofimov’s journalistic clarity ensures that even readers without a deep background in Ukrainian history or military affairs can follow the unfolding narrative. His storytelling is vivid, making the reader feel the weight of each battle, the uncertainty of each moment, and the hope that fuels Ukraine’s resistance. Our Enemies Will Vanish is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the realities of modern warfare and the geopolitical stakes of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Trofimov’s analysis goes beyond battlefield movements, offering insights into the war’s broader implications for Europe and the world. This book serves as both a historical document and a testament to the resilience of those fighting for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
With Our Enemies Will Vanish, Yaroslav Trofimov delivers a powerful and necessary account of a war that continues to shape global politics. For those seeking to understand how wars are fought in the modern age—where information, technology and leadership outweigh brute force—this book is essential reading. Trofimov’s Our Enemies Will Vanish will likely be referenced for years to come as a definitive account of Ukraine’s most existential battle.
Endnotes
[1] Yaroslav Trofimov, Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence (Penguin, 2024).
[2] Ibid., p.134.
[3] Ibid., p.198.
[4] Ibid., p.187.
[5] Timothy D Snyder, Bloodlands: Europe between Hitler and Stalin (Penguin, 2011).
[6] Trofimov, Our Enemies Will Vanish, p. 224.
