Russian Pro-War Writers Say State Has Failed Them

Oct. 1, 2026 Poet Alexander Pelevin. Arthur Novosiltsev / Moskva News Agency Russian writers who back Moscow’s war in Ukraine have complained that they lack state backing and struggle to reach a broad readership, the Ostorozhno Novosti news outlet reported. Poets and authors at a literary roundtable in St. Petersburg accused the authorities of failing to promote their work and restricting their access to schools and literary events. Poet Alexander Pelevin said Russia had failed to launch a “special cultural operation” since the war began, using a phrase that echoes Moscow’s official term for its invasion of Ukraine. He said Russian authors had produced a body of “magnificent poetry” during the war, but the state had failed to help distribute it and had marginalized writers who describe themselves as patriotic. Pelevin also acknowledged that patriotic poetry was in decline, saying it was difficult to keep writing about the capture of yet another small village. Another pro-war poet, Ukraine war veteran Axel Kobokki, blamed the failure to launch a cultural campaign on the image of patriotism promoted by the state, adding that Russians had little trust in people aligned with the authorities. Participants also argued that liberal public figures built credibility by defending people facing state persecution, while patriotic figures lacked comparable successes. One participant alleged that school extracurricular reading lists included books only from certain publishers of pro-war authors, describing the arrangement as a way to siphon off money. Another claimed that orders to keep patriotic writers out of schools came from the highest levels of government. Participants also complained that writers serving at the front were not granted leave to attend literary events. The exiled investigative outlet Vyorstka previously reported that Russian publishers had released at least 259 books about the war since 2022, with most getting print runs of between 1,000 and 3,000 copies. Book industry representatives told Vyorstka that publishers had little interest in pro-war literature because of weak reader demand. Poor sales meant the books were often sent to publicly funded institutions like schools, universities and libraries, they said. This article was translated with the help of artificial intelligence and was reviewed by a Moscow Times editor before publication. Learn more about our newsroom's AI policy here. Read this article in Russian at The Moscow Times' Russian service. Read more about: St. Petersburg , Literature Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Feature Pro-War Books, Bomb Checks and Z-Poetry Reign at St. Petersburg’s Literary Fair While this year’s St. Petersburg International Book Fair celebrated pro-war literature, Russia’s publishing industry is under mounting pressure. 5 Min read Drone Attack Halts Flights at St. Petersburg Airport Russian air defenses destroyed a record four drones over the Leningrad region overnight, the region's governor said. 1 Min read Putin Tours St. Petersburg Drone Manufacturing Plant The Kremlin leader said the Russian army received 140,000 drones last year, with plans to increase supplies by tenfold in 2025. 1 Min read Joseph Brodsky's 'Room and a Half' Now a Museum Efforts to establish the museum in the poet's former communal apartment began in 1999.