Exiled Russian Writer Boris Akunin Presses for Change from Abroad

Boris Akunin, a renowned Russian writer famous for his detective novels featuring Erast Fandorin, has sold over 30 million books in Russia. A long-time critic of the Kremlin, Akunin has lived in exile since 2014, when he left Russia to protest the illegal annexation of Crimea.

Residing in London, Akunin has been pondering how cultural figures in exile can influence change back home. His works were widely available in Russia until December last year, when pro-Kremlin pranksters, posing as Ukrainian officials, recorded him expressing support for Ukraine’s defense. Following the release of this recording, the Russian government effectively halted the distribution of his books.

Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, Akunin has immersed himself in his work. “I have to say, the amount of work and writing I’ve been doing over these two terrible years, never in my life have I written so much,” he shared with an audience in London, describing writing as a form of escapism, surpassing even a drinking binge.