Andrei Soldatov

Early Life

Andrei Soldatov was born in Moscow, Russia in 1975. He is a Russian investigative journalist and author who has written extensively about the security services of the Russian Federation. He is best known for his work on the security services of the Russian Federation, particularly the Federal Security Service (FSB).

Soldatov attended Moscow State University, where he studied journalism and international relations. After graduating, he worked as a journalist for the Russian newspaper Kommersant and the Russian news agency Interfax. He also worked as a freelance journalist for various publications, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Washington Post.

Investigative Journalism

In 2000, Soldatov co-founded the independent news website Agentura.ru, which focuses on security services in Russia and the former Soviet Union. The website has become a major source of information on the activities of the FSB and other security services in Russia.

In 2009, Soldatov and his co-author Irina Borogan published The New Nobility: The Restoration of Russia's Security State and the Enduring Legacy of the KGB. The book was the first comprehensive account of the FSB and its activities since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Soldatov and Borogan have also written extensively about the surveillance activities of the FSB and other security services in Russia. In 2014, they published The Red Web: The Struggle Between Russia's Digital Dictators and the New Online Revolutionaries, which was the first comprehensive account of the Russian government's efforts to control the internet.

In 2016, Soldatov and Borogan published The Compatriots: The Brutal and Chaotic History of Russia's Exiles, Émigrés, and Agents Abroad. The book examines the history of Russian émigrés and their involvement in espionage and other activities abroad.

Legacy

Soldatov's work has been praised for its insight into the activities of the FSB and other security services in Russia. His books have been translated into several languages and have been widely praised by critics.

Soldatov has also been a vocal critic of the Russian government's efforts to control the internet and its surveillance activities. He has been a frequent guest on international news programs and has been interviewed by major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Washington Post.

Soldatov's work has been credited with helping to raise awareness of the activities of the FSB and other security services in Russia. His books have been praised for their insight into the activities of the Russian security services and their impact on the lives of ordinary Russians.