The book details events in Russia over the two years before Putin launched his war against Ukraine, provides reasons why he did so and suggests potential consequences of that war. Russia's presidency, its economy, media and quality of life are featured, along with foreign affairs, political dissent and problems posed by the pandemic, climate change and political dissent.

The short period of time stretching from the dramatic Constitutional amendments of January 2020 to the war launched by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine in February, 2022, marked a sharp turning point in Russian history. The author explains how Russia got to that point of war. Although Putin, termed 'eternal' because of amendments that allow him to run for two more terms as president, is everywhere in it, the book is a study of Russia writ large. It features the political uproar over the Navalny opposition, the ravages of the pandemic, manifestations of climate change, and intensifying confrontations between Russia on one side, Ukraine, NATO and the US on the other. The book provides a who, what, where and when of the short but volatile period prior to the outbreak of war and offers a tentative why it happened. Discussed, too, are the highs and lows of Putin's popularity; the effectiveness, or not, of economic sanctions, and Moscow's 'pivot to the east'.