April 25, 2022

Signed, a Foreign Agent


Signed, a Foreign Agent
More than just ink on the paper. Facebook, Darya Apakhonchich

According to artist Daria Apakhonchich, her status as a "foreign agent" requires her to detail her whereabouts and activities to the Ministry of Justice quarterly. Following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, she has shocked many in what is considered a not-so-standard letter sent to the Ministry of Justice. 

On the letter she sent in, she added illustrations featuring things such as a crying woman, burning buildings, a heart, and a coffin to represent the current events in Ukraine. Large, bold text is also handwritten, telling her opinions about the war in Ukraine. Apakhonchich hopes that her letter will reach the hearts of many, especially someone in the Ministry of Justice. 

Apakhonchich was previously an artist, political activist, and teacher living in St. Petersburg. Following her participation in a protest opposing the arrest of Alexei Navalny, she was arrested on January 31, 2021. As a result, Apakhonchich was labeled a foreign agent. 

The letter and illustrations, as well as English translations, can be seen here

You Might Also Like

Spot the Difference
  • April 22, 2022

Spot the Difference

Zoya Cherkassky-Nnadi is creating pieces of art comparing the Ukraine she knew in childhood and the war-riddled Ukraine we see today.
Refugees Aboard the Volendam
  • April 16, 2022

Refugees Aboard the Volendam

A well-known cruise line has offered one of its ships to aid the humanitarian effort for Ukraine. 
Russian Denials Inspire Pet Meme
  • April 14, 2022

Russian Denials Inspire Pet Meme

After the atrocities committed by Russia's military in towns surrounding Kyiv first came to light this month, Moscow labeled the extensive evidence a "fake." The blatant attempt to hide the obvious inspired... a viral cat meme.
Protesting Horror
  • April 11, 2022

Protesting Horror

Despite bans on protests, Russians have found creative ways to voice their anti-war stance.
Ukrainian Animals, Suffering
  • April 09, 2022

Ukrainian Animals, Suffering

In the midst of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many animals in zoos and shelters have suffered immensely.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955