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A rare, vital account of the early weeks of the war in Ukraine and an emphatic anti-war statement from the Russian soldier who risked everything to denounce Putin’s invasion and “expose the rot” (The Guardian) at the heart of the Russian army
“No to war.” Those are the words that, if uttered loudly enough, can stop anything. . . . I call on my compatriots to stop fighting and concern themselves with what’s going on inside their own country.
Pavel Filatyev was a paratrooper in the Russian army that invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Part of the unit that shelled the city of Kherson, Filatyev grew sickened and angry at what he came to see as an unjust war—one in which he and his fellow soldiers are merely pawns in someone else’s game. After being injured and evacuated from the front lines, he returned to Russia and published a shocking exposé of what he witnessed on social media in an effort to reveal the lies behind Russia’s nationalist propaganda. Now available in English, this is his story.
A day-by-day account of how the Russian army crossed into Ukraine and captured the city of Kherson, this book is both a testimony to the horrific destruction of war and a damning indictment of Russia’s corrupt leadership and its flagrant disregard of the nation’s best interests. Beyond his account of the war, Filatyev weaves in the story of his upbringing as the son of a military family as well as his own redefinition of what patriotism means to him and the realization that “Russia is not Putin.” Providing rare insight into the chaos and secrecy of the Russian military, he bears witness to the filth and disorder of battlefields, barracks, and shelled cities as well as the demoralized ranks of Russian conscripts who face an inescapable choice: fight in a senseless war, or face imprisonment back home.
After publishing his account on social media, Filatyev hoped to remain in Russia where he could be most useful to his fellow countrymen—but activists and humanitarian organizations abroad urged him to flee for his own personal safety. Now with a never-before-seen epilogue that describes Filatyev’s path to political asylum, this book provides chilling insight into life behind enemy lines and a powerful account of the ordinary people caught in Putin’s war.
“No to war.” Those are the words that, if uttered loudly enough, can stop anything. . . . I call on my compatriots to stop fighting and concern themselves with what’s going on inside their own country.
Pavel Filatyev was a paratrooper in the Russian army that invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Part of the unit that shelled the city of Kherson, Filatyev grew sickened and angry at what he came to see as an unjust war—one in which he and his fellow soldiers are merely pawns in someone else’s game. After being injured and evacuated from the front lines, he returned to Russia and published a shocking exposé of what he witnessed on social media in an effort to reveal the lies behind Russia’s nationalist propaganda. Now available in English, this is his story.
A day-by-day account of how the Russian army crossed into Ukraine and captured the city of Kherson, this book is both a testimony to the horrific destruction of war and a damning indictment of Russia’s corrupt leadership and its flagrant disregard of the nation’s best interests. Beyond his account of the war, Filatyev weaves in the story of his upbringing as the son of a military family as well as his own redefinition of what patriotism means to him and the realization that “Russia is not Putin.” Providing rare insight into the chaos and secrecy of the Russian military, he bears witness to the filth and disorder of battlefields, barracks, and shelled cities as well as the demoralized ranks of Russian conscripts who face an inescapable choice: fight in a senseless war, or face imprisonment back home.
After publishing his account on social media, Filatyev hoped to remain in Russia where he could be most useful to his fellow countrymen—but activists and humanitarian organizations abroad urged him to flee for his own personal safety. Now with a never-before-seen epilogue that describes Filatyev’s path to political asylum, this book provides chilling insight into life behind enemy lines and a powerful account of the ordinary people caught in Putin’s war.
141 pages, ebook
First published August 1, 2022
10 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews
December 7, 2022
Don’t buy this book, do not support genocide of Ukrainian people. The author is a war criminal
December 7, 2022
Pavel Filatiev is a war criminal and a scammer. He willingly and knowingly took part in the invasion of Ukraine, terrorized the residents of the Kherson region for months together with his buddies, and when an opportunity presented itself, chickened out, escaped to Paris, and walked away with a €300,000 book deal. Pavel Filatiev does not oppose the war, he likes to pass his time posting Z-memes on his vk page about the greatness of his fellow VDV troops (russian airborne troops). Pavel Filatiev does not care about the Ukrainians he terrorized, he is now suing a russian charity that was supposed to donate proceeds from this book to Ukrainian refugees to keep all the profits to himself.
If you buy this book, you are lining the pockets of a self-admitted war criminal.
If you buy this book, you are lining the pockets of a self-admitted war criminal.
December 7, 2022
The only thing you need to know about this book is that it was written by russian war criminal, who took part in terrorising Kherson. After escaping russia he promised to donate money from this book to Ukrainian charities to try and atone for his crimes, but now he's actually suing the very same organisation that helped him escape russia and refuses to donate money he promised to donate. All around great guy: liar, thief, murderer and war criminal.
Don't buy this book, don't finance russian terrorism. You don't need 'the other side of the story' in this case, because all you gonna get is a bunch of fresh lies.
Don't buy this book, don't finance russian terrorism. You don't need 'the other side of the story' in this case, because all you gonna get is a bunch of fresh lies.
December 7, 2022
By buying this book, you will be lining the pockets of a man who terrorised residents of Kherson.
December 7, 2022
Don’t platform war criminals. The “hero” lauded by western journalists and handed a publishing deal on a platter is someone who didn’t just accidentally stumble across the Ukrainian border — he was a Russian soldier who took part in the inhuman and illegal slaughter of Chechens, and then chose to remain in the Russian army and willingly participated in the invasion of Ukraine, committing even more war crimes here.
December 8, 2022
He was not "caught" inside a war, he is a professional soldier and likely a war criminal. Do not not enable profiteering from murdering Ukrainians.
December 7, 2022
WAR CRIMINAL ALERT
By purchasing this book you support russian war terrorist, who fought on russia's side in this war, later moved to Paris, and now uses all the proceeds from this book to fund russia's war against Ukraine!
By purchasing this book you support russian war terrorist, who fought on russia's side in this war, later moved to Paris, and now uses all the proceeds from this book to fund russia's war against Ukraine!
Read
December 7, 2022This book is an attempt to whitewash a person who participated in Russian barbaric invasion of Ukraine and terrorized people of Kherson, Ukraine. Don’t buy it, don’t pay money to war criminal.
December 8, 2022
The author is a war criminal !!! Don’t support genocide of Ukrainians. Do not buy this book!
December 9, 2022
By buying this book you support russian war crimes and genocide
December 9, 2022
By buying and reading this book you support the war criminal!
December 8, 2022
Wow, so, now we are reading books written by war criminals.
you can just do some horrible things, then just write a book about it, and the world would tolerate you, sponsor you and praise you.
unbelievable
you can just do some horrible things, then just write a book about it, and the world would tolerate you, sponsor you and praise you.
unbelievable
December 8, 2022
A "book" by a war criminal? Really?
Put this abominable ruSSian shit (no other words) where it belongs - in the trash.
War criminals must be arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned - not getting fancy book deals!
Shame!
Put this abominable ruSSian shit (no other words) where it belongs - in the trash.
War criminals must be arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned - not getting fancy book deals!
Shame!
December 8, 2022
War criminals shouldn't profit from their crimes. They shouldn't be platformed as well. This book is a shameful mistake and it's existence is highly offensive to me as a Ukrainian.
December 8, 2022
THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK IS A WAR CRIMINAL.
He is a Russian soldier who took part in the illegal occupation of Ukraine and committed acts of genocide against its people. Despite finding a way out of russia he’s not actually against the war (and it’s not the first one he took part in) and not anti-putin. It’s outrageous that he received asylum in France and a fucking book deal. And to top that now he is refusing to donate the promised 300k€ to a Ukrainian cause. He’s actually suing the org that helped him escape. Do not buy or read it unless you’d like to sponsor russian terrorism.
He is a Russian soldier who took part in the illegal occupation of Ukraine and committed acts of genocide against its people. Despite finding a way out of russia he’s not actually against the war (and it’s not the first one he took part in) and not anti-putin. It’s outrageous that he received asylum in France and a fucking book deal. And to top that now he is refusing to donate the promised 300k€ to a Ukrainian cause. He’s actually suing the org that helped him escape. Do not buy or read it unless you’d like to sponsor russian terrorism.
Read
December 7, 2022The book is written by a war criminal who was participating in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and terrorised Kherson citizens. Now tries to whitewash himself and russia with this book.
December 8, 2022
All you need to know about this book is that it was written by russian war criminal that tries to whitewash his and his country actions. By buying this book you support genocide of Ukraine.
December 8, 2022
It is so progressive to buy a book by a war criminal. This is how I see Europeans in 1944 reading the memoirs of Adolf Eichmann, who fled to Argentina and tells how he, a poor victim of the regime, had to torture, kill, and collect gold teeth and jewelry from murdered civilians.
By buying this book, you are supporting the genocide that is happening right now in Europe
By buying this book, you are supporting the genocide that is happening right now in Europe
December 8, 2022
Dear all, by buying or reading this book you finance Russian war criminal who terrorised people in Ukraine. He is not against the war. It is clear from his social networks that he was proudly supporting what is happening. Now he is trying to play a victim but he is not. We, Ukrainians, ask you not to finance person who was killing us.
December 8, 2022
disgusting
December 8, 2022
The author of this book is a russian war criminal, who admitted that he only stopped to murder Ukrainians because it became boring. Now he hypes with a book about his crimes, while the people he murdered rot in the ground of some undiscovered mass grave. This is pure disgrace, that this book was published at the first place. Murderers should be held responsible, not praised and applauded to.
December 8, 2022
Author of this book is a shitty cowboy who think he can kill humans and enjoy the life of popular author after.
Apart of that, the book itself is a total crap. Such a poor language, don't even deserve 1 star
Apart of that, the book itself is a total crap. Such a poor language, don't even deserve 1 star
December 8, 2022
The book is by a war criminal and for war criminals. This guy detained Ukrainian civilians in Kherson, and gave them up to Russian "security forces". He's ok with the war, but if it wasn't so uncomfortable.
After his ass got beaten near Mykolaiv, he decided that war wasn't comfy anymore and ran to France.
Pawel belongs to the prison cell in The Hague, not your bookshelf.
After his ass got beaten near Mykolaiv, he decided that war wasn't comfy anymore and ran to France.
Pawel belongs to the prison cell in The Hague, not your bookshelf.
December 8, 2022
This book whitewashes genocidal criminals who participated in mass murders and occupation of Ukraine. Are you sure you want to support that?
December 8, 2022
Please do not buy this book, do not help russians in their genocidal war against Ukraine. By purchasing this book you sponsor a russian murderer and a war criminal.
December 8, 2022
The author of the book came to kill Ukrainians, but quickly realized that it is easier to deceive and write books. By buying this author's books, you are supporting a murderer.
December 8, 2022
If you buy this book, you are giving money to a war criminal and a liar. He committed atrocities in Ukraine, and then fled to France saying he would donate proceeds from the book to Ukraine. What a liar. Now he is suing the publishers to give him the money instead. Don’t give this fraud your hard earned money.
December 8, 2022
If you ever wanted to support a war criminal, a murderer and a rapist or felt sorry for a SS officer operating gas chambers— this is your book.
All proceeds will go to ensure that more civilians are killed and raped by his friends more effectively.
Don’t forget to wash your hands from the blood
All proceeds will go to ensure that more civilians are killed and raped by his friends more effectively.
Don’t forget to wash your hands from the blood
December 8, 2022
When buying this book, remember that you are paying a murderer and rapist whose hands are in the blood of Ukrainians. his victims lie in mass graves, and he will enjoy life in Paris thanks to your money. Do you want to be his partner? This is your choice and as a Ukrainian, I hope it will be the right one.
December 8, 2022
This is peak hypocrisy - making money on war crime stories while war is still very much on. I’m sure you’d all want to see a nice redemption story, but that’s not it - and the author’s refusal to donate to Ukraine proves that point.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews