“Kent draws on his decades of experience... and deep knowledge of Russia. Expert interviews provide additional nuance and depth to a complicated subject. Together, these elements make for a riveting read.” —Michaela Dodge, Journal of Policy & Security Vladimir Putin's efforts to build influence abroad have succeeded in many places, but the Kremlin has also faced serious hurdles and even defeats. Thomas Kent delves into six cases where hubris and miscalculation led to reversals—some temporary, some permanent—of Russia's fortunes and suggests how understanding the common threads in Russia's self-defeating behavior can be of benefit to the West.