Putin's Playbook: Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America

by Rebekah Koffler

With a new introduction about the crisis in Ukraine.

Putin’s Playbook is urgently essential reading. A former U.S. intelligence specialist who was born and raised in the Soviet Union explains what Vladimir Putin wants and how he plans to get it. Russia’s ruler is following a carefully devised plan to defeat the United States.

Rebekah Koffler came to America as a young woman. After 9/11, she joined the Defense Intelligence Agency, devoting her career to protecting her new country. Now she reveals in chilling detail Putin’s long-range plan—his “playbook”—to weaken and subdue the United States, preparing for the war that he believes is inevitable.

With the insight of a native, Koffler explains how Russians, formed by centuries of war-torn history, understand the world and their national destiny. The collapse of the Soviet empire, which Putin experienced as a vulnerable KGB agent in East Germany, was a catastrophic humiliation. Seeing himself as the modern “Czar Vladimir” of a unique Slavic nation at war with the West, he is determined to restore Russia to its place as a great power.

Koffler’s analysis is enriched by her deeply personal account of her life in the Soviet Union. Devoted to her adopted homeland but concerned about the complacency of her fellow citizens, she appreciates American freedoms as only a survivor of totalitarianism can. An opportunity to view ourselves and the world through the eyes of our adversary, Putin’s Playbook is a rare and compelling testimony that we ignore at our peril.

Genres: Politics, Russia, History, Nonfiction, Audiobook, American

432 pages, Paperback

Published July 26, 2022

Reviews

[Julie Herringa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a hard book to review. I felt polar opposites of engrossment and exasperation at times with the author. I enjoyed her "underdog" story about moving from Soviet Kazakhstan to the United States and working her way up in the intelligence community. That's were my interest in her personal story ended. The book is presented as a nonpartisan book but it very clearly is politically right,often taking shots at the left.

She comes across as a disgruntled intelligence analyst, obsessed with slights levied against her by bureaucratic "bean-counters." She often quotes Sun Tzu as a catalyst to introduce "unknown" ideas of war and enemy assessment. I had trouble following how she thought these ideas were revolutionary or unknown, they are basic concepts most Americans would be familiar with through logic.

She mentions the need for political unity of Americas while taking shots at the left for gender identity, gay wedding cake baking, and mentions the 'good old days" of American grandparents age. She completely disregards the "good old days" were only good for white middle class families. What about people of color? Was it really the glorious age of America or is she projecting her own view of a utopia with shiny red apples (yes, she really lists this as a reason she loved America.)

Her "playbook" contains equally lackluster assessments - asymmetrical warfare, cyber attack, spy games. I am also reading "The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin" by Steven Lee Myers, I'm finding it a much better book with more relevant information. I would recommend Myer's book over this book.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evenhanded, insightful, and timely book. Ignore the 2-3 star reviews; they all seem to come from disgruntled partisan people who (ironically) complain about the author being too partisan. They then go on to recommend that you read books about Putin by American writers instead, which as a result proves the author’s point. Written by a fully bilingual expatriate of Kazakhstan, the book sheds light into the mindset of Vladimir Putin in the context of greater Russian culture, history and psyche. An essential read if those of us in the west want to understand, not just assume that we already understand, this potential threat, and thus be well positioned to defend ourselves from it.

[Bernard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author obviously loves this country. She understands Russia and the thinking of Putin. She describes a lot about the intelligence community and the federal bureaucracy that it is a part of.

Her book is a beautiful example of what happens when doers have to work with political weasels. The weasels almost always win.

Rebekah is VERY concerned with Russian misinformation operations. Her concerns are merited. I would point out that that same public stupidity and inability to deal with Russian misinformation is fading. There have been so many operations, that the truth is starting to come out. Putin is going to find it more and more difficult to actually influence the American people... Maybe I overestimate the American people?

One of the Russian's biggest weaknesses is touched on in a pointer to a web reference. The ethnic Russians are becoming less and less of a percentage of the Russian nation. Putin is a man on the back of a hungry tiger. That tiger gets more and more hungry by the day...

There are MANY very good points in this book. We, in the United States, are facing a genuine threat and we MUST understand that and deal with it. Unfortunately, our intelligence officials are asleep.

Something tells me that our future is going to end up being far too interesting...

[Zac · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re in the military and you haven’t read this book. You’re already behind the power curve.

[Translator Monkey · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a lot to enjoy about this book - Ms Koffler is obviously up on her political science, and very well placed to make assertions about the still-Soviet mindset of Vladimir Putin. She also intersperses her own life story (living in Kazakhstan during the days of the USSR, emigrating from Kazakhstan to the US at a young age, the battles associated with each) with her broad knowledge of the Russian military and political leadership. I devoured the entire book in a night. So far so good.

I have to say, however, that it is all overshadowed by 1) Koffler's not-too-subtle jabs at the political party that she professes to neither like or dislike throughout the entire book, 2) her insistence on apparently relying on memory or motion pictures instead of research - there are many errors she makes about specific events, events I know to be portrayed erroneously, 3) the manner in which she paints herself comes off as rather a victim of the prima donna effect. The bona fides are valid, but there's a place for that up front to establish your credentials; I don't need to be reminded by seeing her amazing abilities peppered every ten pages, and 4) the story of her ultimate release from DIA comes out of nowhere. Providing us with what turns out to be a frankly comical in-flight confrontation that has the plane make an emergency landing and the author surrounded by police, then to have her subjected to psychological examinations that she failed, does not necessarily instill a level of trust in the veracity of the information she's imparted up to this point. That particular episode sticks out like a sore thumb - it just doesn't belong; how the publisher allowed it to stay in is beyond me, and 5) the axe she grinds down to the quick regarding her treatment by the IC. After all, is this a Koffler bio or a book about Putin?

One particular sticking point I have with people who once served in the IC but no longer do is the demand to include all of the sections deleted during pre-publication review. It's an unnecessary distraction that looks unprofessional and screams "Look at me!"

At the end of the day, it's a very readable but incredibly flawed book. Check it out, but find it at a library rather than paying the full asking price.

[Jackie Thompson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to begin in my distaste for this book. There’s a TON of insight into the Russian mindset, however, there’s far too much opinion-based whining that’s overshadowing so much of her facts. Even as a conservative, this authors constant complaints about the democratic politics and events over the last decade made her sound so damn snowflakey, it made my stomach churn.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yikes, this one was pretty chilling. This is writing from a insider of the Defense Intelligence Agency who was born in Russia, then became an American citizen and high level government worker. It is her personal story and unparalleled perspective on Putin’s ambition and her understanding of what makes him tick.

If you liked the tv series The Americans or want to take a peek into Putin’s mindset that comes from a conservative lens, this one is brutally frank and even a bit gossipy.

I think where it was especially strong was her description of the Russian peoples’ mindset, created from generations of war and deprivation; a place where ‘resting Russian face’ is a thing, and interestingly, a land where no Russian equivalent for the word fun exists.

Also interesting and quite theatrical is the frequent “information redacted“ that was left in to show how editors (or whoever) redacted dozens upon dozens of passages of her book. Interesting choice snd I guess we’ll never really know whether what was redacted had to be, or it was just a clever sneaky device to make you think you’re really reading something from an intelligence insider.

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, this book didn’t age well with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Good points: Infighting weakens America. Russia wants to see us weak and is pushing ideological disinformation to assist this. In other news, water is wet.

Otherwise, this is basically all information that’s been better discussed in other books. (I recommend Putin Country and The New Tsar.) This rehash is interspersed with the incessant grumblings of disgruntled former government employee. The saga of her sacking is very clearly missing several details in an effort to make her look a martyr. It leaves the reader wondering exactly how much of Koffler’s word is accurate.

It’s wildly interesting that the conclusion seems to be, “America needs to unify to be better equipped to deal with Russia, but she shouldn’t get in the way Russia’s plans to colonize independent countries.” Sure, by the power of campfire songs and letting a megalomaniac do whatever he wants to destabilize a continent, we’ll really show them.

[Ren · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is approximately 20% self-agrandisement, 25% Russian spy and influence techniques, and 55% right-wing and Tя☭mp misinformation bulls**t. It was painfully difficult slogging thru all the propaganda, and all the while she’s warning about russian propaganda and influence. It was NOT worth the russian info, which can be found elsewhere.

[Grumpus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scary! I don't see how the world avoids WW3 in the near future based on her insights. America needs to read this to understand how our society is being influenced.

[Diana · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is shocking. It is written by bigheaded woman, that is trying to portray herself as asset to American Intelligence and at the same time cannot say the difference between Communism and Socialism. Right from the start she outraged by the idea that American people would like to have access to free education and free medical care! Indeed, how dare people to think that it should be a human right to access these goodies no matter how deep your pocket is?! Keffler is disturbed by the thought of Russia’s = Putin’s desire to be a powerful country (because why would they? Isn’t it better to be a weak “gas station” and just do what it told to?) and trying to influence/align countries around them, because it is so bad and immoral to interfere in other country’s politics, right? And then she proceeds to admit, that CIA failed to overthrow Cuban’s government, so they had to take a military action. Which is fine, I guess.
Am I cherry-picking the information she provides? Yes, so does she. Proceed reading this book with a caution, keeping in mind that her view is very distorted and biased.

[Muromets · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less about Putin's playbook than one disgruntled intelligence analyst's labour dispute with bureaucratic "bean-counters". Everything else is just standard stuff - asymmetrical warfare, cyber, and political commentary about the good old days vs. today.

For cyber-warfare a better book is Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin's Most Dangerous Hackers.

[Michael Richter · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author had an obvious axe to grind against the organization that fired her, and against left-leaning people in general. And it permeates through the entire book. Her analyses are surface level, and in the few parts that actually go into some depth, she makes it hard to get through due to her biases. Additionally, the half of the book she devotes to her own sad sack story take away from the actual story about Putin. It's more a tale of self-misery than it is an analysis of "Putin's playbook."

[Al · Rating 1 out of 5]

I normally never give a book this low of a score when I was able to read the whole book. However, this book is a special case. The author starts out with incredible claims about Russia but as you read further and further into the book you realize the author is a right-wing nut case. She constantly misstates things about Trump. She seems to think we are right on the edge of socialism. When I was finished reading this book I wondered how much of this book is true. I now question everything she has written. I would have been better off if I had never read it.

[Marjorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting. I agree about Putin and his methods.

She claims to be n0n-political, but came across as pro-trump to me. She also came across somewhat negative on the Intelligence Dept., especially near the end when she lost her job with them.

I listened to the book with the Library's Libby App, which I love! The Reader was good.

I recently started "House of Trump, House of Putin" for additional perspective.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

So it's secret, but Koffler knows it. Smart. And the threat posed by a country with a smaller GDP than Germany, threatening the largest and most threatening army in history. And like in the case of Vietnam, their tanks are ready to invade Wisconsin.

[ParisianIrish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rebekah Koffler’s Putin’s Playbook is not simply a geopolitical exposé — it’s a sobering warning. Drawing from her experience as a Russian-born U.S. intelligence expert, Koffler presents a chilling and detailed narrative of Vladimir Putin’s long-term strategy to destabilize the United States. What distinguishes this book from other works on modern Russian influence is its stark and evidence-backed claim: that Putin has actively and systematically deepened divisions in American society as part of his broader campaign of “hybrid warfare.”

Koffler outlines how the Kremlin, under Putin’s direction, has weaponized America’s internal weaknesses — its free press, open internet, and racial and political tensions — to erode trust in democratic institutions. One of the most striking revelations is how Russian operatives, through the Internet Research Agency and other shadowy channels, inserted themselves into both sides of contentious American debates: supporting Black Lives Matter in one instance, and backing white nationalist rhetoric in another. This dual-sided engagement wasn’t ideological — it was tactical, meant to stoke chaos and conflict, ultimately making America appear fractured and weak on the world stage.

The book details how Russia’s disinformation campaigns have shifted from traditional espionage to more psychological and cultural manipulation. The 2016 U.S. election is dissected not just in terms of meddling, but in how Russia capitalized on existing American anxieties — racial injustice, immigration, gun rights, and gender politics — amplifying the most polarizing voices. Koffler doesn’t suggest Putin created America’s divisions, but she argues convincingly that he has ruthlessly exploited them.

Koffler also touches on how the divisiveness in America benefits Putin strategically. The more embroiled the U.S. is in internal strife, the less capable it is of presenting a unified front on the international stage — whether confronting Russian aggression in Eastern Europe or maintaining NATO solidarity.

What makes Putin’s Playbook compelling is not just its access to intelligence insights, but its readable urgency. The author doesn’t just inform — she warns. Her narrative style is assertive, and though critics might find her tone alarmist at times, the underlying facts are deeply unsettling. It is a reminder that America’s internal cohesion is not just a domestic concern — it is a national security issue.

In sum, Putin’s Playbook is a timely and necessary read for anyone interested in understanding the non-traditional threats facing the U.S. today. It underscores how the battlefield has shifted: modern warfare is now waged not just with tanks and missiles, but with memes, bots, and ideological division. And in that war, Putin’s greatest weapon may be America’s own fractured identity.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, engaging and extremely well researched. I appreciated the author's thoroughly-examined opposition to Putin and Russian ideology. I loved that she didn't "pick a side" in the Russia-Ukraine War, but instead gave a convincing argument against the relentless Russian agenda while acknowledging Ukrainian leaders' shortcomings.

[Royce Ratterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast-paced read. As is pointed out in this work, the Western Mind continues to be unable to grasp the concept of "Empire." They may watch a British show featuring a castle with grounds held by a family for hundreds of years, where the family knows, though on paper they are owners, that, in fact, they are only the current caretakers of their family's estate/empire and are responsible for its continuance for future generations of their caretaker progeny.

Rather than approach 'enemy' confrontations as the weaker opposing entities have, with simplistic games like chess and poker as they comfortably sit across borders facing each other from a safe distance while using pawns, castles, aces, and jokers, Putin prefers the 'hands on' approach, the approach he champions within his Russian judo philosophical ideals... where the weaker opponent is most certainly to lose, no matter how long-term the match endures. Suffering and sacrifice are innate signature Russian traits, as opposed to Americans who avoid suffering.

"Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it's a simple adventure story. Others can read the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe." -(Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, Superman 1978). This observation by the script writer(s) on the viewing populous has not changed for the better, and having extremely weak leaders in western governments gave full 'authorization' for North Korea's missiles to fly once again in 2021, for China to renew its conquest and base buildup throughout the South China Sea (2009-2016) and their plans for Taiwan's future, as well as abandoning the treaty enabling the Taliban to secure control of Afghanistan - along with the world's largest lithium deposits, and for Russia to step out, once again, unbridled.

One can only predict the ramifications of the 20th of January 2021's presidential 'Proclamation' (*see excerpt below*) implemented naively under the 'racial card' propagandist agenda to remove the enter-the-USA restrictions for Muslim countries identified as terrorist harboring/promoting lands. It appears few noticed this erroneous 'Proclamation'. It may well prove far more fatal than the Clinton presidency years (1993 to 2001) where 'infiltrators' arrived freely and prepared for their 9/11 terrorist acts unrestricted. Beginning in 1997, the 19 hijackers had submitted 24 applications and received 23 visas. The pilots acquired most of theirs in the year 2000. The other hijackers, with two exceptions, obtained their s between the fall of 2000 and June 2001. All of the 9/11 hijackers entered the United States legally under their own names. None was an immigrant. They all came into the U.S. with non-immigrant visas intending not to settle in the USA, but only to kill large numbers of civilians.
- - Excerpt: *Make a careful note of what was actually REVOKED - Welcome back sleeper cells!
Proclamation on Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to The United States
January 20, 2021 • Presidential Actions
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), hereby find that it is in the interests of the United States to revoke Executive Order 13780 of March 6, 2017 (Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States), Proclamation 9645 of September 24, 2017 (Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats), Proclamation 9723 of April 10, 2018 (Maintaining Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats), and Proclamation 9983 of January 31, 2020 (Improving Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats). Our national security will be enhanced by revoking the Executive Order and Proclamations.

"Every nation gets the government it deserves." Joseph Comte de Maistre, French philosopher & counter revolutionist (April 1, 1753 - February 26, 1821)

"People who get what they want are often surprised when they also get what they deserve." -MENSA member, 7 November 2020 - after USA's 2020 presidential election results.

- Excerpts:

"Judo teaches you to be in control, to feel the sharpness of the moment, to see strong and weak points of the opponent, and to strive for the best outcome. Don't you agree: all this knowledge, {these] abilities, and [these] skills are simply a must for a politician?" -Vladimir Putin

"Most families in Russia have direct experience with the not-so-distant memories of surviving the Great Patriotic War, post-war hunger, and shortages during Soviet socialist era. They find Putin's fighting spirit, even when he fights dirty, appealing. 'Keep moving forward and only forward, even if you have to step on corpses,' was my father's mantra to me when I was a child."

"Remember, it's not about the individual but the collective in the Russian way of thinking. He [Putin] has restored domestic stability, improved the Russian economy, and modernized the military to the point where even the Pentagon must play catch up in certain areas. Putin's Russia is back on the map... few major international conflicts are adjudicated without Moscow now... he has designated Russia's second national interest, behind empire, as weakening, and, if need be, defeating, the United States--just as the Eurasianists envisioned."

"Pundits and analysts have debated whether Putin is a strategist, tactician, or mere opportunist. Reluctant to acknowledge any positive characteristics that the Russian strongman may have... There is no question that Putin is a skillful strategist and tactician with an excellent nose for opportunities to exploit...This hardcore KGB man... the Judo man is constantly on the lookout for that momentary opportunity to attack his opponent."

"While Washington was pursuing unending wars in various parts of the globe and misreading Putin--by judging him to be an "honest man" as President Bush did or a "bored kid in the back of the classroom" as President Obama called him--the Russian leader steadily and quietly crafted a deadly plan to undo America."

"Preeminent British strategist Colin Gray called the American way of war 'culturally ignorant,' causing the U.S. military to suffer from 'self-inflicted damage caused by a failure to understand the enemy of the day." (also reiterated by Putin regarding USA's failure in Afghanistan and for losing its wars).

"Comforted by the erosion of NATO's military advantage in Europe since the end of the Cold War, Putin--who was confident that he could outplay President Obama--was concerned about the unpredictability of President Trump. The KGB man knew that for all Trump's sweet talk about making a deal with Russia, the real estate mogul--who released lethal weapons to Ukraine and authorized a deadly strike on Russian mercenaries in Syria--also carried a big stick."

Soviet agents posing as Americans "worked closely with the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) in penetrating federal government bureaucracy, such as Departments of State and War... set up spy networks of American citizens who were ideologically enamored with communism as... a progressive form of government (and) were tragically beguiled into thinking that communism would solve the world's problems of inequality and capitalist 'oppression' without realizing the repressive and violent nature of communism, and its predecessor, socialism."

"Intelligence operatives infiltrated academia, media, government institutions, labor unions, and Hollywood to portray socialist ideas desirable and humane, and capitalism as evil and unjust... They targeted left-leaning individuals, the so-called 'useful idiots,' and cultivated them as 'agents of influence' who would educate the next generation of elites... the Russians ensure that trusted contacts, fellow travelers, and useful idiots receive some sort of reward for themselves or their families in order to keep the relationship going."

"I could understand Obama's initial desire to establish a working relationship with Russia in the beginning of his term... But in the second year of Obama's second term, after having tried for five years and failed, it was naive at best. Continuing to look into Putin’s eyes and fail to see that he was not going to miraculously abandon Russia's centuries-old suspicion of the West or to compromise national interests in favor of 'reset' games with the 'main enemy' was mistaken and foolish."

The concept of 'Yedinonachaliye' entails that for socialism to succeed, "the will of thousands must be subservient to the will of one." Vladimir Lenin

"We can see that all the elements of the socialist ideal--the abolition of private property, family, hierarchies; the hostility toward religion--could be regarded as a manifestation of one basic principle: the suppression of individuality." -Soviet dissident Igor Shafarevich, 'The Socialist Phenomenon'

Works that may be of interest to you:

-The Axis Grand Strategy: Blueprints for the Total War by Ladislas Farago (1942)
-The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich Hayek (1944)
-The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt (1951)
-First Person: An Astonishingly Frank Self-Portrait by Russia's President by Vladimir Putin, Nataliya Gevorkyan, Natalya Timakova
-The USSR’s 12-episode 1973 TV series ‘Seventeen Moments of Spring’ (available on YouTube)
-Yermak’s Campaign in Siberia by Terence Armstrong
-Peter the Great: The compelling story of the man who created modern Russia, founded St Petersburg and made his country part of Europe (Great Lives) by Robert K. Massie
-Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K Massie

[Luke Karten · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happened to the author is being played out time and time again. Her account of the US intelligence community indicates some good people work there; however, there are others not so good. And America is being played by Russia. And clearly as the title indicates, Putin’s playbook is alive and well in America. Her advice on Ukraine is prescient!

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting read...she notes key arguments from a Russian mindset like: Russia is willing to kill millions while America will not, that we are behind the curve with threats like a possible cyber Pearl Harbor, and Putin is orchestrating responses to regain the former USSR status. I question her support of Flynn...a known criminal who made false statements. Flynn plead guilty twice...

See also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1anA8...

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative book from someone who has a clear understanding of Russia as a country and Putin as leader of Russia. Born in Russia, growing up there, going to school in Russia and then ultimately leaving Russia for the freedom that US could offer and becoming a US citizen was definitely an interesting part of her story. She clearly has a background in how to understand the Russian culture and her passion shows that she want to help US intelligence understand Russia. She did for a time and then for reasons unknown dropped by US intelligence. It’s not up to me to explain or understand. If felt like the author wrote this book for the American people so they could read for them selves what Russia’s motives are , what Putins motives are. It’s a well documented and thought out book with great care given to details. I enjoyed reading bc it’s really fascinating. But also frightening if she right on Russia’s intentions and honestly I don’t doubt her! Good read!

[Julian Borrowdale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got as far the intro: something something unfairly prosecuted... Russia hoax, forces within the FBI and the government unfairly prosecuted...including my boss, General Michael Flynn. She's probably credible on Putin. On her boss, both before and after he lost his mind, not so much.

[Marianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had more downs than ups. It was hard to read past the author’s political beliefs and opinions to get to the meat of the message. While there are good observations, I just had a hard time with all the political opinions mixed in with the analytical assessments.

[Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

Koffler gives Russia too much credit for ruining America. America is ruining America.

[Julieta · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author’s unique viewpoint as a Russian native was a fascinating perspective. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and hope the author continues on in her authoring career. If you’re looking to truly understand Putin, his motivations and how the United States play’s a part in Russian tactics- I highly recommend this book!

A few quotes/themes that I want to look back on:

“Socialists eventually always run out of other people’s money.” -Margaret Thatcher. The goal of socialist societies is for the government to provide everyone with equal necessities; no matter how hard they work. Ultimately, this kills any entrepreneurial spirit in the people and makes the people become lazy in their work. If they can’t keep the wealth they create, then why work hard to create it?

In the USSR the citizens used to say, “they (the government) pretend to pay us and we pretend to work”. “Once the socialist state kills entrepreneurship, the society will stop innovating”. This is why Americans have a potato peeler/apple crusher/etc, while Russians just use a knife for everything. Because there was no entrepreneurial motivation for them to create anything.

Russia and America have over 90% of the world’s nuclear forces in 2021.

I never realized the greater threat behind the 2016 election results story: The story that the media put forth (which was later deemed untrue), stated that President Trump and Putin were working in collusion to defeat Hillary Clinton. However, the true threat behind this cyber attack to our electoral process from the Russians was to cause havoc & upheaval amongst the citizens of the United States while the Russians tested their true capabilities. Russia may now have the capability to turn off America’s electrical grid (ie. no one would have power including our military).

Putin urges his people not to partake in vices (drinking, drugs, etc.)

The Russians currently prefer to flare up social tensions amongst Americans (racism fights, pro gun/anti gun fights, election result turmoil , etc.) rather than firing off physical weapons. They do this by exploiting social media and sending Russians over to pretend that they are Americans. Once they successfully infiltrate, they do everything they can to stir up social turmoil amongst the American citizens.

When Putin thinks about defeating an adversary he looks for ways to remove or degrade its strategic advantage. In the case of America, our advantage is satellite/technology. Cyber strikes are arguably Russia’s greatest threat to America. The US military and the US citizens depend so much on their technology that a few satellite attacks could send America spiraling.

Putin will send spies into its’ adversary countries to infiltrate. These spies will go to the extent of marrying native citizens and having children with them in order to blend in. However, their new “family” knows nothing about the spy’s true allegiance or work.

After President Trump’s election, the Russians were surprised by his win but welcomed it. Russian agents that had integrated themselves as Americans were assigned with the task to cause more upheaval in the country. They staged simultaneous rallies both in support of and against President Trump’s nomination. “Show your support for President Elect Trump” and “Trump is not my President” we’re both slogans of Russian intelligence controlled rallies in New York. In North Carolina, the Russians held another rally: “Charlotte against Trump”. Putin and Russia are not pro Trump or pro Clinton, they are against Americans at the end of the day.

Putin doesn’t use email.

[Vadym Bychkov · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was going to give the book 4 stars, untill I read the Epilogue. Boy, I wish I started with the epilogue, because it is exactly where I would have stopped reading.

While author's personal anecdotes and life story is interesting and entertaining, and technical details of all assymetric threats and insights into strategic thinking are informative, here conclusions and recommendations are detached from reality.

Starting with calling subject-matter experts, whos views don't align with the authors views, "experts", often equating them with bureacrats and deep-state apparatchiks.
Steal other countries history and even expressions. Mentionning 20 millions russian casualties in WW2, as if there were no Belorussian, Ukrainian, Kazakh and other casualties. Or saying "as we say in Russia it's "Two big differences", when this expression originates in Odesa, Ukraine.
In many places contradicting herself. For example in Chapter 2 explaining how growing up in oppresive Soviet Union she was taught by her parents not to trust anyone, and keep their thoughts to themselves outside family. And then in the Epilogue she writes : ..."my parents raised me to speak truth to power, even if the choice is between bread and freadom".🤷

But the most egregious flaw in author's observations is the big gap in strategic analysis and conclusions. Mrs.Koffler states that "...Russia should be America's top security concern" and that Russia is America's "strategic opponent" while questioning decission to send anti-tank Javelin missiles (which, by the way, along with british NLAWs were one of the elements that saved Ukraine in February 2022), stating "we have our own freedom and democracy to protect, rather than worrying about Ukraine's", "Is America's safety, security, territorial integrity, and long-term survivability even remotely reliant on Ukraine?"..."No, I'll say it: Ukraine is not a vital security interest of the US", mocking qualified experts "experts" by advocating more help for Ukraine, like generals Breedlove and Hodges. I'm surprised General P.Breedlove praised the book at all. So the logic is : Lets Russia have Ukraine. Not understanding challenges to European and American security that enlarged and emboldened Russia would pose, with 40+million manpower and industrial base that would help to bild even bigger armed forces (remember how those gaz turbines that were produced in Ukraine and not supplied to Russia after 2014, slowed down their naval procurement program), with brigades and divisions stationed only artillery shot from 4 NATO countrie's borders (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania) is utterly staggering.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see why a lot of people gave this bad reviews - though they'll never outright admit it.

Stripping out the author's politics - the analyses presented aren't revolutionary and draw from a number of corroborating sources which you can go find and see for yourself. The book does a good job of collating a lot of said data into a single volume and the author sticks pretty close to her main points.

Pretty much everything she discussed is on-point and further bolstered by taking the time to go look through the works cited and references in the back of the book. I have a copy of the Mueller Report here. Yes - it covers Russian influence in 2016 and no - there was no "collusion" between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Be mad. Cope. But be mad at Mueller. Because those are his words and findings not the author's or mine.

Could she have avoided airing out dirty laundry from DIA and the IC? Sure. But having spent time in the IC, I can understand her frustration with the way people can act and the way they sometimes can weaponize systems against their own.

All-in-all, a fairly standard offering from a former intelligence analyst. Nothing revolutionary.

[Evert Bos · Rating 1 out of 5]

This author is seriously deranged. Her insights regarding Putin are interesting and appear to be correct but as an American citizen she is seriously far gone, thinking that the Democrats want to create a new type of Soviet Union in the USA. That is talk of a drunken sailor. Fitting with that deranged narrative she is a Trump sycophant, fantasising he is a strong opponent of Putin. Trump is a lapdog for Putin, which was clear in 2016, she does not seem to notice that. On the other hand, one can understand a citizen who escaped the Soviet Union and is desperate for some anchor point in the ¨land of the free¨, but she is not going to find it. She may know Russia very well, she has no clue about America. She seems to be on the side of the christian nationalists in the usa and would gladly support a christian theocracy with similar authoritarian characteristics as the Soviet Union. It is amazing, I know more Russians ( middle aged) who embrace Trump and the protestant evangelists as their saviour, not realising they are embracing the same thing they escaped from. Unbelievable.

[David Noonan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will this warning be heeded?

I was willing to ignore the author’s mindset because she grew up in Russia; the very reason that she was able to understand, analyse and provide excellent intelligence advice to her adopted country.
To read that she was ejected from her role despite support from her superiors and peers within that intelligence “troika” makes me think that it will be a long time before the US follows the five pieces of advice given in the epilogue to this book.
I have learned a vast amount from this book.
I put up with the repetition in various chapters, the seeing of Trump as a good president simply because he made good military decisions and the author’s inability to see the difference between socialism and communism.
Many democratic countries have socialist benefits for their citizens without any fear of them becoming communist.