December 17, 2024

"Too Pro-War" Library Closes


"Too Pro-War" Library Closes
Books in Russian about politics. Flbpub, Wikimedia Commons.

On December 14, a St. Petersburg bookshop known for hosting pro-war "correspondents" and critics of the Kremlin's handling of its invasion of Ukraine announced on Telegram that it would close its doors "indefinitely." The owners said the reason for their closing was that "the end of the world is near."

St. Petersburg's Listva (Foliage) was a hotspot for pro-war journalists, authors, and Donbas separatists, often hosting talks. In July 2023, police evacuated the bookstore right before the former self-proclaimed "People's Governor" of Donbas and pro-war activist Igor Strelkov (the alias of Igor Girkin) was scheduled to speak. After Strelkov was arrested for his criticism of Russia's "lack of full commitment" in its war on Ukraine, his wife, Miroslava Reginskaya, held meetings with his allies at Listva.

The bookstore also feuded with other shops and libraries in the city. In 2019, Vse Svobodny (All are Free), another St. Petersburg bookshop, launched a map of independent libraries. Listva was included in the list but accidentally disappeared. Its owners took to Telegram to confront Vse Svobodny, asking its representatives to say who they believed owned Crimea.

Listva posted, "As experienced scribes, we know the secrets of ancient prophecies and have the right to say: the end of the wolrd is near." The bookshop said they would be "the first to leave this world" amidst the planet falling in the hands of an "unknown but unyielding power." The statement added that part of Listva's team would go to a "nuclear-proof bunker" in occupied Donetsk, while the others would go into seclusion.

Listva is owned by Chertnaya Sotnya (The Black Hundred), a publishing house popular with the far right that supports the war in Ukraine. The store is owned by Dmitry Bastrakov, whose revenue was three million rubles ($29,021) in 2021. 

The bookstore announced an "end of the world" sale, offering a 20 percent discount on all merchandise. Listva will close on January 1, 2025.

You Might Also Like

Vanished Land
  • November 07, 2024

Vanished Land

A Russian island in the Arctic disappeared from satellite images.
A Pro-War Childhood?
  • October 31, 2024

A Pro-War Childhood?

Russian children are being instilled with militant patriotism through plays, stories, cartoons, and toys.
Facing Up
  • March 26, 2024

Facing Up

"Faces of the Russian Resistance" is a traveling art project that humanizes dissent in Russia.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
A Taste of Russia

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.
Bears in the Caviar

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.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
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.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Fearful Majesty

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.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
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. 

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