We Shall Outlast Them

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 produced a rupture with the United States and Europe not seen since the Cold War. As a result, Russia refocused its entire state machinery on one purpose: To outlast the West. Russia foreign policy analyst Hanna Notte uncovers how Russia reinvented itself, outmaneuvering sanctions, forging surprising alliances, charming the Global South, and sowing fear in Western societies. Putin is the one pulling the strings, but he is not the only player: Propagandists, diplomats, businessmen, and rogue agents have done Russia’s bidding. From civilian shelters to military bases, presidential palaces to tense borderlands, Notte chronicles the untold stories of those waging Russia’s battles—and of everyday people swept up in Putin’s agenda. Blending analysis with reportage from more than a dozen countries, We Shall Outlast Them paints a sweeping picture of Putin’s wartime adaptation and illuminates how Russia has fostered enduring appeal around the globe.