“Extraordinary.”-CHRIS MILLER, author of Chip War
“Incredible.”-ANNIE JACOBSEN, author of Nuclear War, via X
From John Lechner, “an amazingly bold reporter” (Adam Hochschild), the shocking inside story of how the Wagner Group made private military companies inextricable from Russia’s anti-Western foreign strategy.
In 2014, a well-trained, mysterious band of mercenaries arrived in Ukraine, part of Russia’s first attempt to claim the country as its own. Upon ceasefire, the “Wagner Group” faded back into shadow, only to reemerge in the Middle East, where they’d go toe-to-toe with the U.S., and in Africa, where they’d earn praise for “tough measures” against insurgencies yet spark outrage for looting, torture, and civilian deaths. As Russia gained a foothold of influence abroad, Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, known as “Putin’s Chef,” went from caterer to commander to single greatest threat Putin has faced in his over-twenty-year rule.
Dually armed with military and strategic prowess, the Wagner Group created a new market in a vast geopolitical landscape increasingly receptive to the promises of private actors. In this trailblazing account of the Group’s origins and operations, John Lechner-the only journalist to report across its many warzones-brings us on the ground to witness Wagner partner with fragile nation states, score access to natural resources, oust peacekeeping missions, and cash in on conflicts reframed as Kremlin interests. After rebelling, Prigozhin faced an epic demise-but Wagner lives on, its political, business, and military ventures a pillar of Russian operations the world over.
Featuring exclusive interviews with over thirty Wagner Group members, Death Is Our Business is the terrifying true tale of the renegade militia that proved global instability is nothing if not an opportunity.
Editorial Reviews
“Gripping and superbly researched, featuring interviews with dozens of Wagner members. It’s remarkable to consider that the couple of hundred years hiatus on mercenary armies is now over, that nation states won’t be the only entities fielding military firms in the decades to come. This is one of those non-fiction books that gives this spy novelist ideas. It’s full of great material.” ―David McCloskey, Daily Mail
“As Lechner writes in this eye-opening exposé, ‘the world is filled with Prigozhins.’ For those who want to know the ugly truth of war fought for rubles-or dollars.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“In this in-depth, beautifully written chronicle and analysis of atrocities, massacres, war crimes, and theft on a scale scarcely to be believed, Lechner illuminates Prigozhin’s Wagner PMC, drawing on his extensive interviews with members, and its trail of devastation across Ukraine, Syria, and Africa. He also delves deeply into the history of Russia, the rise of Vladimir Putin and Prigozhin, and the lesser and greater conflicts across much of the globe…An invaluable look at a very dark dimension in geopolitical affairs.” ―Booklist
“Extraordinary. From civil wars in the Central African Republic to the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, Death Is Our Business provides a deeply researched account of how Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner mercenaries wreaked havoc on multiple continents, accumulating such influence-and such firepower-that they even threatened Vladimir Putin’s hold on power. Essential reading for understanding Russia and modern warfare.” ―Chris Miller, New York Times bestselling author of CHIP WAR and PUTINOMICS
“John Lechner is an amazingly bold reporter who has been to the key places where the Wagner Group fought, interviewing members, veterans, and victims to deliver a shrewd, granular sense of how Russian mercenary forces operate.” ―Adam Hochschild, bestselling author of KING LEOPOLD’S GHOST and AMERICAN MIDNIGHT
“Gripping . . . A must read for anyone seeking to understand the new realities of Russian warfare and the Kremlin’s growing global influence.
” ―Angela Stent, author of PUTIN’S WORLD
“Unearths the brutal truths of the Wagner Group with unparalleled access and precision, exposing the shadowy fusion of profit, power, and violence driving Russia’s global ambitions. A riveting and essential read.” ―Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat and author of WE ARE BELLINGCAT
“Terrific! . . . A front row seat to the Kremlin’s war against the West and an essential first look at the future of Great Power Competition.
” ―Admiral James Stavridis (ret.), PhD, former Supreme Allied Commander at NATO and coauthor of 2034
“A detailed and thorough study for any reader seeking to learn more about the recent history of [mercenary] operations and outlook for the future.
” ―Jessica Donati, author of EAGLE DOWN
“A chilling dive into the future of conflict.” ―Christopher Miller, Financial Times Chief Ukraine Correspondent and author of THE WAR CAME TO US
“First-rate journalism and a penetrating analysis of the Kremlin’s use of deniable military force.” ―Mark Galeotti, author of FORGED IN WAR
“Crucial to understanding Wagner’s role, and how the Russian state uses these kinds of organizations.
” ―Michael Kofman, Senior Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
“A gripping, unflinching and deeply researched book.” ―Jade McGlynn, author of MEMORY MAKERS
About the Author
John Lechner is a journalist and an independent researcher and consultant to NGOs and other institutions working in Africa. He holds a master’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University. He speaks Russian, French, Turkish, Georgian, Chechen, Sango, and more. His reporting has been featured in outlets such as the New York Times, the Atlantic, the Washington Post, and the BBC and published in Foreign Policy, Lawfare, and War on the Rocks, among others. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, he lives in Washington, D.C.
