April 15, 2026

Tolstoy Would Be Proud


Tolstoy Would Be Proud
Ivan Tolstoy. Svklimkin, Wikimedia Commons.

On April 10, academic and journalist Ivan Tolstoy, grandson of the Soviet writer Alexei Tolstoy and a distant relative of the author (and noted anti-war pacifist) Lev Tolstoy, became the latest addition to Russia's foreign agents list, along with four other individuals and a Tatar rights advocacy group. The Ministry of Justice cited the historian's opposition to Russia's war on Ukraine as the reason for his new legal status.

Ivan Tolstoy is a prominent academic, specializing in the history and literature of Russian emigres and the Cold War. The heir to the Tolstoy lineage has taught at St. Petersburg State University and Charles University in the Czech Republic. He is also known for his work as a journalist at Radio Liberty, where he began contributing in the late 1980s from Prague. Soon after the start of its War on Ukraine, the Russian government designated the broadcaster as an "undesirable organization."

The Ministry of Justice said that "Tolstoy disseminated unreliable information regarding decisions made by the public authorities of the Russian Federation and the policies pursued by them and opposed [the war] in Ukraine. He participated in the creation and dissemination to an unrestricted audience of messages and materials produced by 'foreign agents.'" Tolstoy does not live in Russia.

Tolstoy was not the only one to be named a "foreign agent" that day. Tatar Shurasy, an international council that advocates for the rights and sovereignty of the Tatar people and Tatarstan, was also on the list. Voters' rights advocate Vladimir Udot,  founder of "Asians of Russia" Vasily Matenov, activist Rizvan Kubakaev, and anti-war feminist Lilya Vezhevatova were all also labeled as foreign agents.

You Might Also Like

A Rough Patch for Putin?
  • April 12, 2026

A Rough Patch for Putin?

The Russian president is seeing some of his lowest approval ratings in decades, and that's according to state media.
I Won't Grow Up!
  • April 14, 2026

I Won't Grow Up!

A review of A Hundred Years of Childhood: An Anthology of Russian Writing for Children, 1917-2017,  by Olga Bukhina & Kelly Herold & Andrea Lanoux
An Oasis for Russian Jokes
  • April 06, 2026

An Oasis for Russian Jokes

There's a surprising space where Russians find safe space for topical humor and how they comment on what's happening in the country. 
Now Queen is LGBT Propaganda
  • February 04, 2026

Now Queen is LGBT Propaganda

A Moscow man was fined for "LGBT propaganda" after posting pictures from Queen's 1984 music video, "I Want to Break Free."
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

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.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

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.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, 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