A Brief History of a Long War

A beautifully illustrated and comprehensive graphic history of Ukraine’s centuries-long struggle against Russian domination, from the Middle Ages to today’s devastating war, by an award-winning journalist and Ukrainian cultural historian

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began long before the 2014 war that led to the Russia’s invasion in 2022. The Ukrainian people have been subjected to genocides—defined as “acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group”—by the Russian government across centuries, such as the Holodomor famine of the 1930s that left over 3.3 million people dead. Even the language itself was once a target: The “linguicide” during the 1860s banned Ukrainian, persecuted anyone who spoke the language, and methodically erased references to Ukrainian from historical texts.

In A Brief History of a Long War, distinguished Ukrainian scholar, activist, and journalist Mariam Naiem presents a panoramic overview of the major moments in this longstanding conflict. Alongside gripping accounts of the historical foundation of the modern Ukrainian state as we know it today, the origin and symbolism of the Cossacks, and more, Naiem seamlessly incorporates present-day narratives about the harrowing realities of war and the lengths citizens must go to survive.
Featuring gorgeous illustrations in maliopys, Ukraine’s own comic style, by Ukrainian artists Yulia Vus and Ivan Kypibida, A Brief History of a Long War is an ode to the moments of resistance and resilience from the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia’s oppressive, colonial history.