The Dogs of Mariupol Russia’s Invasion and the Forging of Ukraine’s Iron Generation
By Tom Mutch
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Kateryna hung up her dresses, Oksana and Stanislav put down their lawyers’ briefs and Oksen slammed shut his philosophy textbooks. Alongside thousands of their fellow citizens, they strapped on armour, picked up weapons and chose to risk their lives for the freedom and independence of their homeland. Many would never return.
Journalist Tom Mutch woke up in Kyiv on 24 February to a world changed for ever. Making a fateful choice to stay and cover the invasion, he witnessed the forging of an ‘iron generation’ of young Ukrainians. With first-hand reporting from all the major battlegrounds and front lines, The Dogs of Mariupol recounts the war’s notorious encounters, such as the Battle of Kyiv and the Siege of Mariupol, but also uncovers untold stories, like the 1st Tank Brigade’s desperate defence of Chernihiv and the civilian guerrilla army fighting overwhelming odds in Sumy.
This is not a triumphalist account of Ukraine’s fight, however. It painstakingly documents the immense human catastrophe wrought on Ukrainian society and the divisions between those who fought and those who fled. It also delves deeper into events to answer important historical questions: could the Russian plan to capture Kyiv have succeeded? Did Ukraine make a fatal error by committing for so long to the defence of Bakhmut? And with more western support, could Ukraine have won this terrible war outright?
Reviews
“Tom Mutch’s vivid portrayal of the battle for Mariupol pulls you in, making you feel as if you’re reliving those intense days yourself. I recommend this account to policymakers, veterans and anyone who wants to know what the war in Ukraine is really like.”
Shaun Pinner, former British Army soldier, Ukrainian Marine and Mariupol defender and author of Live. Fight. Survive.
“Even as someone who has reported on the conflict in Ukraine for three years, I found The Dogs of Mariupol an extraordinary read. This superbly crafted account of the author’s experiences travelling the length and breadth of Ukraine captures in granular detail the extreme highs and lows of modern warfare in 21st-century Europe.”
Paul Conroy, war photographer and bestselling author of Under the Wire
“This book is an honest reflection on the contradictions of conflict journalism as well as the beauty and flaws of Ukraine and its people amid their struggle for survival. I recommend it to analysts, historians and anyone else who wants to understand how the war is experienced on the ground in Ukraine.”
John Helin, Ukraine analyst with the Black Bird Group
“The Dogs of Mariupol is a powerful, ground-level account of Ukraine’s fight for survival and identity amid Russia’s brutal invasion. Tom Mutch captures resilience, tragedy and defiance alongside personal reflection and humanity with which we can all relate.”
Girish Gupta, former Reuters senior correspondent
“Really enjoyed it … It deals with the conflict’s major strategic issues without ever losing sight of its human dimensions … His commitment to Ukraine’s cause is clear in how he describes the fortitude and tenacity of its people as they both resist Russian aggression and find ways to live as normally as they can, and always acknowledges the suffering of ordinary Ukrainians.”
Sir Lawrence Freedman, Foreign Affairs
“The book is brilliant and moving and important and without hyperbole deserves to take a place in the pantheon of great war reportages alongside Dispatches. It’s raw and brilliantly evocative but also tight, objectively observed and unsentimental, which is a rare combination … An extraordinary, essential and unforgettable book.”
Owen Matthews, The Spectator
“A very good book, perceptive … excellent and vividly written. A powerful reminder of the value of embedded journalism … This is a guy who is actually out there under the fire of the GRAD rocket launchers.”
Mark Galeotti, In Moscow’s Shadows
“A vivid account of the conflict, including those lesser-known battles, like the 1st Tank Brigade’s defence of Chernihiv and the guerrilla army that fought the Russians in Sumy. An important and interesting source for anyone studying the war.”
Francis Dearnley, Daily Telegraph
“A great read from the frontlines of the most consequential war of our generation. The fact that the author hails from New Zealand, a country as far from the war as geographically possible, only strengthens the point – Russia’s aggression against Ukraine affects all those who care about the future of our world.”
Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuanian Foreign Minister 2020–24
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- Hardback, 368 pages
- ISBN: 9781785909733
- 29 May 2025
- £22.00
- eBook
- ISBN: 9781837360093
- 29 May 2025
- £16.99