November 01, 2025

Tamara Eidelman Arrested in Absentia


Tamara Eidelman Arrested in Absentia
Tamara Eidelman, a historian speaking truth to power.

According to Izvestia and the Moscow Prosecutor's Office, a court in Moscow arrested historian Tamara Eidelman in absentia for "rehabilitating Nazism" and "spreading fakes" about the actions of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Eidelman was History Editor for Russian Life magazine for 18 years (from 2003-2021, penning over 300 articles), as well as Founding Editor of Chtenia (2008-2017). She now has an extremely popular YouTube channel that covers all aspects of Russian and world history, as well as current affairs (her clear diction and pleasant speaking voice also makes it a superb Russian language learning resource). The channel has nearly two million subscribers. She has also started a new subscription history program, Secret Hunters (Охотники за тайнами), and is a popular lecturer on history leading courses and tours all over the world. On her website she styles herself as a "historian, honored teacher of the Russian Federation, writer, foreign agent" (историк, заслуженный учитель РФ, писатель, иностранный агент).

Eidelman was declared a foreign agent by the Russian government in September 2022. She had left the country soon after Russia began its War on Ukraine, and now lives and travels freely abroad, making videos and leading history tours.

The nut of the government's beef with Eidelman was apparently a video posted on May 5, 2024, "The Day of Stolen Victory," which the prosecutor's office avers "contains negatively colored statements about the actions of the USSR during World War II, the days of military glory, and memorable dates of Russia related to the defense of the Fatherland, as well as about veterans of the Great Patriotic War." The video is embedded here so you can watch it yourself (click the Youtube logo to watch it over there and turn on the auto-translate feature with the gear icon):

A criminal case against Eidelman – who has a long history of supporting democratic movements and speaking out against all forms of authoritarianism – alleging she was working for the rehabilitation of Nazism was opened on January 4, 2025. She was accused of committing a crime under the infamous paragraph "b" of Part 2 of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Rehabilitation of Nazism using the Internet").

Reached for comment, Eidelman told Russian Life, "It was expected, but still it is really sad that my country does such things to me and much worse to those who dare stay in Russia. It seems that the authoritarian machine simply cannot stop, it has to go on and on. But we will also go on standing up to them."

A few of Eidelman's articles from our pages are linked below...

 

You Might Also Like

All Good Things
  • November 01, 2021

All Good Things

In which we say goodbye to a longtime editor and look toward the future by looking back.
The Victory That Wasn't
  • May 01, 2006

The Victory That Wasn't

In 1916, the Brusilov Offensive was a surprise breakthrough on the Russian-Austrian front. Had those in command recognized its potential, WWI could have had a very different outcome.
The War to End All Wars Ends
  • November 01, 2019

The War to End All Wars Ends

The final shots of the First World War (“The War to End All Wars”) were fired on November 11, 1918. In Russia, this event went largely unnoticed.
Kremlin Ghosts
  • May 01, 2004

Kremlin Ghosts

Hidden behind the walls of Moscow’s ancient fortress are phantoms and shades from centuries gone by.
Khrushchev's Secret Speech
  • January 01, 2006

Khrushchev's Secret Speech

In an interview with the son of Anastas Mikoyan, one of the key players in the 20th Party Congress, we take a trip behind the curtain of Soviet Oz.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

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.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

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.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

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.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

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.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, 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