Rebel Russia

Rebel Russia by Anna Arutunyan delves into the fascinating saga of Russian rebels such as Navalny, Lenin, and Pugachev, who have captivated readers and writers for decades with their epic battles against the Leviathan of the Russian state. The rebel’s story often culminates in exile, imprisonment, or martyrdom, planting seeds for future reform against the very Leviathan they challenged.

Why do revolts—from the Decembrist uprising to the Snow Revolution that propelled Alexei Navalny into contemporary Russian politics—seem to ultimately fail or result in even worse forms of despotism? The reality is that the brave words and actions of dissidents have shaped the course of Russian history more frequently than commonly assumed. Through the tales of prominent rebels from the era of Ivan the Terrible to the present day, along with her own experiences reporting on the nation’s descent into authoritarianism, Russian-American journalist Anna Arutunyan explores how rebels and the Tsar have defined each other through a centuries-long dance of dissent and repression.

These characters and their stories not only uncover the true nature of the Russian state, but they also offer hope for a future Russian democracy.