"This wonderful book shows Mick Ryan's excellence as a teacher of military strategy and adaptation in warfare. He's observed carefully and often at close range the choices Ukraine and Russia have made to achieve their objectives in the war.  I hope it will be required reading in staff and war colleges, as well as garnering a wide public readership."—Kori Schake, Director of Foreign and Defense Policy, American Enterprise Institute

"In the aftermath of Russia’s brutal, unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Mick Ryan quickly emerged as one of the war’s essential analysts. Mick brings to bear his extensive command experience and historical understanding to explain the strategies employed by both Moscow and Kyiv, and how they have adapted these strategies. He draws out the lessons which military planners should take from this conflict. Through it all, he never loses his moral compass or his sense of outrage at Russia’s behaviour. I commend Mick Ryan’s book to anyone wishing to understand the war in Ukraine and its implications for warfare in the twenty-first century."—Michael Fullilove, Executive Director, Lowy Institute

"Mick Ryan knows war. As a student, a professor, and a practitioner, he imparts the horrors of Ukraine with brutal but objective truth. From the human to the technological, the tactical to the strategic, this book explores key lessons (identified but not necessarily learned!) from this war with humility. Ryan draws critical insights on how we should think about aggression, vulnerability, what drives and constitutes strategy, and what adaptation really means on the battlefield. This is a must read for all of society; our citizens, politicians, national security leaders, war planners, war fighters, and the industries that supports them. Loved the critical distinction between lessons and lessons learned! SO IMPORTANT."—Rebecca Shrimpton, Director, Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)

"The War for Ukraine combines deep yet accessible military expertise with admirable moral clarity, and an acute sense of both the geopolitical stakes and human cost of this war. Moving at speed, Mick Ryan cuts through the fogs of war and social media alike to illuminate the operations, tactics and strategy that have shaped the conflict. The lessons he draws from Ukraine’s fight, particularly on the need for grand strategic alignment of political, military and economic means and ends, are ones that all democratic leaders must heed if we are to prevail in the conflict against authoritarian regimes."—Benjamin Tallis, Senior Research Fellow, German Council on Foreign Relations

"Eschewing the breathless focus on the employment of technology that dominates too much commentary on the Russo-Ukraine War, Mick Ryan valuably tackles the strategic level of the conflict before honing in on how both sides have adapted. Ryan’s sound insights will most benefit current and future military professionals who have the grave responsibility of preparing for future warfare."—Heather Venable, USAF Air Command and Staff College

"While Russian aggression against Ukraine is undoubtedly a huge tragedy, the biggest interstate war in Europe since 1945 brought strategy and warfighting back to the centre stage of world politics and people's attention. Thus, Mick Ryan’s book is a solid attempt to paint a comprehensive picture of the first 18-months of Big War at different levels with diverse conclusions worthy of broader attention and consideration. In the process the author managed to highlight the eternal issue of continuity and change in strategy and warfighting using specific examples of Russo-Ukrainian War while constantly reminding that every war is unique and context dependent. I believe this book about the ongoing Ukrainian confrontation with Russia will aid countries which cherish peace and security to quickly learn back the art of strategy and warfighting, which atrophied after the end of the Cold War. Hopefully policymakers will heed General Ryan's reminder that in the end superior supply of munitions and materials is the source of victories in wars of attrition and support Ukraine for pricy lessons and conclusions gained since 24 Feb 2022"—Mykola Bielieskov, National Institute for Strategic Studies in Ukraine

“Mick Ryan’s book is a timely and astute examination of how the different patterns of leadership, strategy, and organizational culture of Russia and Ukraine shaped the conflict thus far and affected the ability of their militaries to adapt to a rapidly changing battlefield. Perhaps the most poignant lesson of all is that large-scale industrial war in Europe is back, offering new grim data for the study of the future of warfare.” —Mariana Budjeryn, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School