Recent Book Reviews

The Russian aggression against Ukraine is far from being unprecedented. Rather, it is the latest in a long series of acts of aggression and coercion that stretch back to the Middle Ages. Vladimir Putin frequently invokes this deep historical narrative to justify his war against Ukraine.

This book critically examines and deconstructs the historical mythology that fuels and legitimises Russia’s war narrative. It traces these myths back to their medieval roots, with particular attention to their religious dimensions. Approaching the subject from a religious perspective, the book reveals how spiritual and historical narratives are intertwined in the Russian propaganda machine.

For anyone seeking to understand the deeper, more nuanced layers of Russian propaganda and its efforts to rationalise war, this book is essential reading. Without grasping these subtleties, one cannot fully comprehend the motivations behind Russia’s militaristic posture.

Archimandrite Cyrill Hovorun, Ph.D.
Sankt Ignatios Folkhögskola, Stockholm

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Russia is already at war with Europe. From sabotage in the Baltic Sea and election meddling in Moldova to the use of the Russian Orthodox Church as a tool of propaganda, aimed at undermining Europe’s democratic fabric.  Drawing on original research, Miceál and Oksana show how Orthodoxy is being weaponised in modern warfare, cloaked in soft power, traditional values, and the rhetoric of human rights. They trace how Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine was preceded by a religious conquest: denying Ukrainians their right to church independence (autocephaly).  This book is a vital wake-up call to European democracies, urging them to recognise the long-ignored security threats posed by militant and nationalistic religious ideologies.

Andreja Bogdanovski, Ph.D. 
Journalist & Analyst Specialising in Orthodox Affairs

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When you think of the war in Ukraine, you may picture bombs, ruined cities, and the loss of life. But war is not only physical; it destroys much more than just material things. O’Hurley and Shadrina powerfully highlight the threat of a spiritual war, where even the most sacred — faith in God — is used as a weapon. It reveals just how ruthless the enemy is and helps you understand the scale of the aggression. If you understand this truth, you will have a chance to resist. Ukraine has paid a heavy price so that you can learn from its experience.

Serhii Kuzan, Chairman
Ukrainian Security & Cooperation Centre (USCC)

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O’Hurley and Shadrina will guide you through the pages of history rewritten by Russia, revealing real facts that are carefully hidden.  The book uncovers how Moscow appropriated the legacy of Kyivan Rus’, proclaiming itself the elder brother of the Slavs.

You will immerse yourself in the deepest recesses of the Russian Orthodox Church, which has served as an instrument of propaganda and state influence since ancient times. For centuries, the ROC has been subordinated to the state — from the reforms of Peter I to playing the role of an FSB branch under the leadership of Patriarch Kirill.

Today, ROC spreads its influence over Ukraine and the entire world. Agent-priests gather intelligence data, while church structures in Russia train mercenaries and conceal secret scientific facilities, including those related to nuclear research.

This book is a profound analysis of the role of the ROC in destabilizing European security and democracy.

Anna Neplii
Ukrainian Journalist – United24Media, Podul.ro, Beta News

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The Kremlin’s most dangerous weapon is not always a missile. Sometimes it wears a cassock.

In Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, Miceál O’Hurley and Oksana Shadrina show what many have seen for years: the Russian Orthodox Church functions as a Kremlin instrument, built for intelligence, influence, and political warfare. It launders Moscow’s ambitions in the language of faith and tradition.

Europe needs this book, illuminating how Moscow turns liturgy into cover for subversion and uses piety as a passport for power.

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine did not begin with tanks. It began in sanctuaries, where canon law was bent to deny a nation’s right to exist. The authors trace the arc from medieval imperial myths to today’s security threat, and the conclusion is blunt. Ignore these Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing and you invite a Trojan Horse through the cathedral doors. A vital read.

Jason Jay Smart
Security Consultant Specialising in Russia
& Special Correspondent, Kyiv Post

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O’Hurley and Shadrina have performed a significant service by producing a fine work of research which despite the dense topics proves an enjoyable read. Their thesis that the weaponization of faith in service to the Russian State poses a threat to European security and social cohesion is supported by evidence detailed in numerous original source citations.

Defense, security and policy analysts should take notice of ‘Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing’ because it provides context for understanding how hybrid warfare, at times being carried out by clergy on behalf of the Russian Federation security apparatus, seeks to undermine neighboring states. The surprising number of Russian Orthodox Church clergy being expelled from states across Europe based on evidence of espionage and carrying out activities that undermine domestic security and democracy demonstrates the necessity of this work.

My experiences as an intelligence operator for several years, specifically in relation to Russian adversaries, tell me about the well-executed professional work that we find described in this book.  I highly recommend this book for politicians, policy makers, defense and security specialists, journalists and all people concerned about the future of the European experiment in democracy.

O’Hurley and Shadrina have given us a wake-up call. We should take it.

Dr. Knut Normann Egeland PhD.
Operations Research and Force Protection (retired)

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The timely book by Miceál O’Hurley and Oksana Shadrina reveals a truth long known to most Ukrainians: The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is not an ordinary religious organization, but a powerful instrument of the Russian security apparatus and propaganda machine.

Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing argues that the ROC poses a threat to European security and democracy due to a dangerous combination of religious ideology and imperial ambition. The authors scrutinize the doctrines of “Russkiy Mir” (Russian World) and “Svyataya Rus” (Holy Rus), exposing them as a justification for Russian expansionism, historical revisionism, and an “eliminationist policy towards its neighbors’ identities.” The ROC’s role in spying, subversion, and justifying Russian aggression is exposed, including Patriarch Kirill’s declaration of the invasion of Ukraine as a “Holy War.”

The book is an essential read to those who would like to understand how Russia abuses religious freedom, a fundamental European value, as a cover for its covert malign activities and why ROC is an essential element of Russian war against Ukraine and wider Europe.

Yuliya Kazdobina, Senior Fellow
Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism”