The mysterious novelist who foresaw Putin’s Russia – and then came to symbolise its moral decay

The Audio Long Read

The Guardian

Society & Culture

4.3 • 2.4K Ratings

🗓️ 21 February 2025

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Victor Pelevin made his name in 90s Russia with scathing satires of authoritarianism. But while his literary peers have faced censorship and fled the country, he still sells millions. Has he become a Kremlin apologist? By Sophie Pinkham. Read by Olga Koch. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

Transcript

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