Russian novelist Boris Akunin has been designated as a foreign agent following his vocal opposition to the country’s military campaign in Ukraine. The 67-year-old, known as one of the longstanding critics of President Vladimir Putin, saw his detective novels banned by authorities in Russia before the war.
Russia’s justice ministry accused Akunin, whose real name is Grigory Chkhartishvili, of opposing the Ukraine military operation, disseminating false information to portray a negative image of Russia and its army, and supporting the Ukrainian military financially, according to BBC.
This move follows Akunin’s blunt assessment on the day of Russia’s so-called “special military operation against” Ukraine. “Russia is ruled by a psychologically deranged dictator, and worst of all, it obediently follows his paranoia,” he was quoted as saying by the British broadcaster. Responding to the justice ministry’s action, Akunin, now residing in London, expressed, “Terrorists declared me a terrorist.”
The “foreign agent” label, reminiscent of Soviet-era practices, requires individuals to identify themselves as such on social media and in publications, along with imposing financial reporting obligations, according to BBC. The usage of this term evokes historical connotations, harkening back to the era of “enemies of the people” in the Soviet Union.
Numerous Russian cultural figures have fled the country since the commencement of Moscow’s military campaign against Ukraine. Those who remain are subject to stringent censorship laws. Akunin’s designation highlights an increasing crackdown on dissenting voices and critics of the Kremlin’s policies.
Chkhartishvili, whose pen name is Akunin, was born in the Republic of Georgia in 1956. A philologist, critic, essayist, and translator of Japanese, Akunin published his first detective stories in 1998 and became one of the most widely-read authors in Russia. He is the author of the Erast Fandorin and Sister Pelagia novels. Before moving to London, he lived in Moscow.
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