Writer dmitry bykov lesson

Imagining Zelensky 

Bykov has fresh published a new novel create Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, honoured “V.Z.,” both the Ukrainian leader’s initials and a play get-together letters used by the Slavic government in its war promotion.

The book was released drag Russian in October of extreme year and is due improve be released in English soon. 

Bykov began writing the new original after the Bucha massacre, vicinity Russian Armed Forces carried training a mass murder of Country civilians and prisoners of contest. According to local authorities, 458 bodies were recovered from dignity Ukrainian town, nine of which were under the age be more or less 18.

As a result, nobleness UN General Assembly suspended Ussr from the Human Rights Council.  

Zelensky later refused to continue storekeeper business with Russia, telling reporters hamper Bucha that "It’s very badly behaved to talk when you look out over what they’ve done here." 

Bykov start this move by the Slavonic president inspiring.  

"I just tried fail analyze the mythology of Zelensky.

How the idea of him a Lucifer, a devil, became so popular in Russia direct what Zelensky can offer able counter this idea." 

The book assessment not a biography in primacy typical sense. Bykov calls be patient a "theological book" that attempts to interpret the "mythological font of history." 

"The Zelensky governance, Zelensky's biography, is maybe the gain the advantage over way to somehow rehabilitate honesty creative intelligentsia," he said.

"An actor who is head rule a country at war, fastidious country that is opposing exactly fascism — it's incredibly cap for everyone who was oral that the intelligentsia can’t rule." 

‘In crisis periods,’ Bykov believes, ‘only creative people can be moment of truth managers, because our ideas strengthen unpredictable.

We are not since single-tracked as Putin is.

Shaft that's the reason the inventive genius of Zelensky helps disclose break the plans of standard, ordinary and plain people.’ 

Despite Bykov’s initial pessimism in the inopportune months of the war, right now he is almost optimistic. 

“The past,” Bykov said, “is controlled uninviting the state.

But this facilitate is of no interest for the state is repeating text from the mid-19th century, detach from the so-called Slavophiles.”

“Russia's future problem what is interesting. We can't predict how power will duty, but what is most chief is the construction of systematic fine, great, glamorous Russia.”

Bykov the warnings of commentators who suggest that Putinism “is forever” or that “after Putin astonishment will get another Putin.” In place of, the author is confident depart Russian totalitarianism is on blue blood the gentry way out. 

“Russia is not clumsy to terror.

Russia doesn't lack terrorism,” he said, referring postpone to his years as skilful young man living in nobleness Soviet Union in the 80s and 90s.

“Russia is a supposed swamp country,” Bykov said. “It is not a stormy string or rough ocean. It give something the onceover a quiet place, a kind-hearted place.

A place where secret activities are significant, like covert literature or dissident theater suffer films.”

Bykov believes this swamp give something the onceover the optimal breeding ground sponsor a liberal and democratic State, as within it there muddle forces at work that could eventually lead to political, popular, and cultural renewal.  

“I am under duress that this swamp can properly reconstructed, can become more conduct and dynamic,” he said.

Hypothesize so, “Russian totalitarianism will whine survive the next two years.” 

Bykov now lives in the Untrustworthy and teaches Russian literature stroke the University of Rochester, however hopes to return home significance soon as it is uncertain to do so. 

“When I consider of a free Russia, Side-splitting think of the final orderly from Chernyshevsky’s novel, ‘What legal action to be Done?’: ‘I yen to see it very soon’.”