What Is *Little Green Men* by Tim Ripley About?
Little Green Men is a book by defence journalist Tim Ripley that deals with Russia's 2014 seizure of Crimea, when troops with their rank badges and unit insignia removed took control of the peninsula and blockaded Ukrainian forces. On timripley.co.uk the title is flagged "AVAILABLE NOW," and the site also hosts a companion page of background intelligence data and satellite imagery for the book.
What the book covers
The site's own summary sets the scene directly: in February and March 2014, Russian troops — with their rank badge and unit insignia removed — began to seize control of Crimea and blockaded Ukrainian [forces]. That description points to the core subject matter:
- The "little green men" themselves — the unmarked soldiers whose appearance in Crimea became the defining image of the operation.
- The 2014 timeline — February and March 2014, the period in which the takeover unfolded.
- The wider Russia–Ukraine context — the book sits within Ripley's broader work on Russian and Ukrainian military affairs.
The phrase "little green men" is the popular label for those unmarked troops, and the book takes it as its title.
Background data and satellite imagery
Beyond the narrative, the site provides a dedicated page titled "Little Green Men – Background Intelligence Data and Satellite Imagery." This is a supporting resource rather than the book itself — it collects the kind of open-source material (intelligence data and satellite imagery) that underpins analysis of the Crimea operation. If you want to see the evidence base behind the book's account, that page is the place to start.
How it fits with Ripley's other work
Little Green Men is one of several titles featured on timripley.co.uk. The site also lists Operation Telic and Operation Aleppo, reflecting Ripley's focus on modern military operations. Little Green Men is the title the site currently highlights as available.
Where to get it
The site links to a purchase page for Little Green Men under its book-author section, alongside the background data and satellite imagery page. If you want the book itself, follow the "Buy Little Green Men by Tim Ripley" link; if you want the supporting material first, the background intelligence and satellite imagery page is the companion resource.