The book dispels a widely held misperception in the West that Putin is an omnipotent puppet-master, pulling all the strings in Russian disinformation operations. The reality is not so exotic.
“The coming days will be decisive,” the de facto leader of Karabakh announced as Azerbaijani forces advanced toward Shushi. Baku may see the capture of the town as critical leverage to achieve a favorable political settlement.
Even while negotiations are continuing, it is clear that developments on the battlefield are driving events far more strongly than anything agreed over the negotiation table.
The messaging from Moscow has been pro-Armenia but critical of its government. And some Armenians are questioning their leaders’ flirtation, as mild as it’s been, with the West.