Kyiv: The Story of an Unbreakable City

An accessible and authoritative history of Kyiv, from medieval origins to front-line defence against Russian invasion

A city of gleaming golden spires and ancient cathedrals, tall hills, dense wooded parks and audacious Soviet architecture, Kyiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Once the centre of the medieval Slavic world, its vulnerable position on the edge of the steppe invited Mongol invaders, and later Lithuanian, Polish and Russian overlords. In recent years it is renowned for its position on the Ukrainian front line—but the city has always been notable for its resilience and unbreakable spirit.

Andrew Wilson charts Kyiv’s 1,500-year history for the first time. From its monastic early origins at the heart of the Rus’ to its multicultural flourishing in imperial borderlands, we see how generations of princes and zealots, artists, writers and philosophers have called the city home. Industry and empire, Nazi invasion and Soviet suzerainty each left indelible marks on the modern metropolis, while Ukrainians have reclaimed Kyiv in every epoch.

Wilson guides us through Kyiv as Ukrainians know it today—and reveals a city worth fighting for.