Recognized by ARMY Magazine as an "Essential" Title for Modern Conflict Professionals. "This compelling study... is an essential starting point for anyone hoping to bring such cities back to life." —Lieutenant General J.J. Frewen, AO, DSC (Australian Army, Ret.) "Indispensable reading for governmental and private donors who provide the lifeblood funding that supports international urban recovery efforts." —Dr. Robert J. Bunker, Director of Research and Analysis, C/O Futures, LLC How do cities survive the unsurvivable? From the rubble of Mariupol to the resilient streets of Kharkiv, Brutal Catalyst is not just a history of the Ukraine war—it is a blueprint for what comes next. Dr. Russell W. Glenn, a world-renowned expert in urban operations and former senior defense analyst, delivers the definitive guide to post-war urban recovery. Moving beyond military tactics, this book provides a strategic framework for the civil and military leaders who must rebuild nations when the smoke clears. By synthesizing lessons from historical rebuilds in Tokyo, Berlin, and Sarajevo with real-time analysis of the Ukraine conflict , Glenn offers actionable solutions for the complex "system of systems" that is a modern city. This book provides critical insights on: The "Day After" Problem: How to transition immediately from combat operations to stabilization and recovery. - Urban Triage: Prioritizing housing, healthcare, and unexploded ordnance disposal in resource-starved environments. - The Corruption Trap: Managing donor funding and international aid to prevent graft from undermining reconstruction. - Civil-Military Integration: Bridging the gap between armed forces, NGOs, and local municipal leadership. "A clear, well-argued, well-documented study of the manmade disasters that befall cities at war... Essential." —Colonel Gregory Fontenot, US Army (Ret.), former Commander, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division "Hyper-relevant examples clearly signpost the way ahead for Ukraine’s urban recovery." —Ben Baker MBE, former British Foreign Office Urban Conflict Advisor "Meticulously researched and brilliantly written...an invaluable achievement from one of the most distinguished scholars in the areas of warfare and recovery." - Lieutenant Colonel Daniel T. Miltenberger (US Army, retired) co-author, Guide to IGOs, NGOs, and the Military in Peace and Relief Operations "...an essential read for those seeking to learn how to plan and implement urban recovery efforts." -- Dr. John P. Sullivan, Research Fellow, Arizona State University Future Security Initiative; Instructor, Safe Communities Institute, University of Southern California "Russ Glenn's examination of the impact of war on Ukraine's cities is exactly what future post-conflict planners will need." - Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland (US Army, retired), former Deputy Commanding General of US Forces in Afghanistan "Brutal Catalyst promotes understanding of what recovery will be like...Ukraine's cities will recover, but the road ahead will be long and hard." - Colonel Gregory Fontenot (US Army, retired), Commander, 1st Brigade, 1st (US) Armored Division in Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1995-1996 "...indispensable reading to support international urban recovery efforts." -Dr. Robert J. Bunker, Director of Research and Analysis, C/O Futures, LLC and past Minerva Chair, US Army War College "Glenn's insights clearly signpost the nature of urban recovery from this war and other conflicts yet to come." -Lieutenant Colonel Ben Baker MBE (British Army, retired), former British Foreign Office Urban Conflict and Security Advisor "An expert in how wars are waged and the destructive impact of conflict in urban areas, Dr. Glenn's historically informed analysis is a must-read." -Dr. Rhys Crawley, University of New South Wales Canberra, author of the Official History of Australian Operations in Afghanistan, 2005-10 "...a well-researched and historically contextualized study of war-torn Ukrainian urban spaces." -Dr. Howard G. Coombs, Director of the Queen's University Centre for International and Defence Policy, Kingston, Ontario, Canada "...an essential starting point for anyone hoping to bring such cities back to life." -Lieutenant General J.J. Frewen AO DSC (Australian Army, retired) "Russell Glenn's book captures the idea that we know how to [rebuild]...and why we must close out the war in Ukraine properly to avoid recurrence." -Major General Paul D. Eaton (US Army, retired) "Dr. Glenn's book is valuable to both military and civilian professionals." -Major General Anthony Funkhouser (US Army, retired), former Commander, Afghanistan Engineer District-South, 2010-2011 Dr. Russell W. Glenn spent sixteen years in the think tank community before joining the faculty of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, the Australian National University in Canberra, this after over twenty-five years service with the US Army. He and his wife, Dee, now live in Williamsbu