Unequal Brothers - New extended edition

With Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the conflict that had been brewing between the two states since at last 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea, reached peak escalation. Since the 18^th century there has been an asymmetry in the relationship between these two closely connected peoples. This asymmetry was at its height in the 19^th century, when Russia refused to recognise the ‘Little Russians’ – as the Ukrainians were officially called at that time – as an independent nation with a history separate from that of Russia. This view has persisted in Russia to this day, and is also widespread in the West. But Andreas Kappeler tells the story of these unequal brothers as one of entanglements and disentanglements, helping us to better understand the most recent escalation.

*‘Andreas Kappeler’s overview of Ukrainian history is very helpful when it comes to understanding the current crisis.’ Konstantin Sakkas, SWR2

*‘An indispensable book about the background to the present situation: a masterful and concise account by one of our most renowned historians of Eastern Europe.’ - Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung

*‘An illuminating book and a must-read for anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of the conflict.’ - Cyrill Steiger, NZZ am Sonntag

*Spiegel Bestseller

*With a new chapter on the how the situation has developed since Russia’s annexation of the Crimea in 2014

*‘A book that might help to make the incomprehensible war in Ukraine slightly more comprehensible.’ - FOCUS

*Over 30,000 copies sold since February 2022