Boris Akunin: KNOWLEDGE AND PROTEST - WRITING ABOUT RUSSIA

Boris Akunin is not only a renowned author and famous for his bestselling crime novels, he is also recognised as an encourager in difficult times. With a literary repertoire spanning numerous genres and captivating millions of readers worldwide, Akunin's works have earned him international recognition and admiration.

In addition to his literary activities, Boris Akunin is a vocal critic of the Russian government, speaking out against injustice and in favour of political change. After the rigged Duma elections in 2011, he was one of the organisers of the so-called Bolotnaya protests in Moscow. Akunin's books were subject to censorship and were banned from Russian bookshops and libraries due to his criticism of Russia's war against Ukraine. Today he lives in exile - and is still being attacked by the Russian government, which has labelled him an "enemy of the Russian people" and a "foreign agent" and has therefore placed him on the Russian "terrorist and extremist list", for which an international arrest warrant has been issued.

Boris Akunin, the pseudonym of Grigori Chkhartishvili, is a Russian writer known for his historical crime novels. In his gripping novels, he delves into the complexities of Russian society, combining thorough historical detail with captivating narratives. Akunin explores themes such as morality and identity with a keen eye on contemporary Russia. Following his criticism of the Russian attack on Ukraine, his books were banned from Russian bookshops and libraries. On 20 June 2024, he was a guest of Cathrin Kahlweit, journalist and publicist, correspondent for Central and Eastern Europe for the Süddeutsche Zeitung, who presented the series TURNING POINT curated.