Intent to Destroy

Dominating Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian policy for centuries - now, we are witnessing a genocide.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine brought large-scale warfare to Europe, reshaped relations between key global players, and redefined existing alliances and international organizations, such as NATO and the European Union. It has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, revived the threat of a nuclear war between Russia and the West and might unleash a global famine. Political scientist and historian of genocide Eugene Finkel zooms in on the intersection of one of the most important geopolitical events in recent decades and the most odious type of violence.

Placing the war amid a long history of Russian political violence, he reveals how genocide and crimes against humanity have played a major role in Ukrainian history - both concepts were coined by scholars from Lviv, a city in western Ukraine and Finkel's hometown. Focusing on violence against civilians on the ground as a lens to understand the war, he argues that the violence we are witnessing is a direct continuation of the Kremlin's playbook when dealing with domestic and foreign opposition. He explores the challenges of historical memory, accountability for crimes committed by Russia, and what will be required for reconciliation between future generations of Ukrainians and Russians.

Told with the astonishing power that comes from Finkel's personal connection to this living history, and the authority of a lifetime's research, Intent to Destroy is an ambitious account of the war in Ukraine, and how this violence will continue to shape global politics for decades to come.

A powerful indictment of Russia's centuries-long obsession with eliminating the Ukrainian identity, language, and people -- Yaroslav Trofimov, author of OUR ENEMIES WILL VANISH
The parallels between present and past in Russia's war on Ukraine are breathtaking. A work of deep expertise and sober sensitivity, Intent to Destroy connects these threads and details the repeated waves of devastation that have resulted from Russia's long-term obsession with eradicating Ukraine's separate identity -- Charles King, New York Times–bestselling author of GODS OF THE UPPER AIR
Eugene Finkel tells a story of violence, identity, and the final stages of empire in Europe - the story of Ukraine . . . This is a book that can help explain the most important war and geopolitical crisis in Europe today and which does so with clarity, learning and sensitivity. Anyone interested in understanding what is happening in Ukraine today should read it -- Phillips Payson O’Brien, author of THE STRATEGISTS
Finkel has written a superb and above all readable guide for the perplexed . . . Masterful -- Tim Judah, author of IN WARTIME: STORIES FROM UKRAINE
Eugene Finkel, who correctly called Russia's war against Ukraine "genocidal," makes the case here with erudition and verve. Those who want Russian perspectives on the war will find the relevant ones here -- Timothy Snyder, New York Times-bestselling author of ON TYRANNY
Vladimir Putin claims that Russians and Ukrainians are one and the same people, but as Eugene Finkel convincingly argues in his new book, the relationship between the two nations has been anything but brotherly, with Russians doing their best to dominate and recently destroy Ukraine. A powerful antidote to those who claim that NATO is the main culprit responsible for the current war -- Serhii Plokhy, author of THE RUSSO-UKRAINIAN WAR
Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2022 surprised many of us. But it shouldn't have. Eugene Finkel's masterful account of centuries of Russian designs on Ukraine spells out why Moscow won't leave Kyiv alone and what defenders of Ukraine should do about it. A must read account of the most important foreign policy question of our age -- Ben Ansell, author of WHY POLITICS FAILS
The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is a culmination of centuries of painful interactions that involved a punctuated but progressive rise of Ukrainian national consciousness and a concomitant rise of fear in Russia threatened by an independent Ukrainian nation. Finkel provides an accessible, nuanced and dynamically presented historical backdrop to the conflict, highlighting Russia's imperial drive and juxtaposing the historical places two nations find themselves in today -- Gulnaz Sharafutdinova, Director of King's Russia Institute
A book that can help explain the most important war and geopolitical crisis in Europe today with clarity, learning and sensitivity -- Professor Phillips O'Brien
This is the must read masterpiece to understand Russia's mission to destroy Ukraine over hundreds of years - and the heroic resistance against it. Utterly essential if you want to know what's at stake in the greatest war in Europe since WWII -- Peter Pomerantsev, author of NOTHING IS TRUE AND EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE
Intent to Destroy spans several centuries, delving into some of the most heinous atrocities perpetrated by the Kremlin on Ukrainian lands. Despite the extensive scope, the text is rich in nuanced analysis, being equally valuable for scholars and accessible to readers unfamiliar with the region. What stands out most is Finkel's approach: rather than striving for unattainable objectivity, he bravely acknowledges his deep investment in producing responsible scholarship that is guided by honesty -- Olesya Khromeychuk, Director of the Ukrainian Institute London

Eugene Finkel is a political scientist, historian of genocide, and an expert on Ukraine. He is associate professor of international affairs at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His first book, Ordinary Jews: Choice and Survival during the Holocaust was published by Princeton University Press and won several awards. His second book, Reform and Rebellion in Weak States (co-authored with Scott Gehlbach) was published by Cambridge University Press.

Interviews with Eugene have been published in Newsweek, The Independent, Der Spiegel, Die Zeit and multiple other media outlets in Europe, North America, and Asia. He has also published in the Washington Post, The Hill, and Haaretz.

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