Andrei Soldatov

Andrei Soldatov ( _ru. Андрей Алексеевич Солдатов, born 4 October 1975 in Moscow, Russia) is a Russian investigative journalist.

Journalism

Andrei Soldatov graduated from Moscow State Social University, [journalist department] . In 1996 he started to work as correspondent of Segodnya newspaper. 1998-1999 - staff writer of Kompania journal. In September 2000, then in Izvestia, he has opened with his colleagues the project Agentura.Ru. 2002-2004 - chief of section of Versiya (weekly newspaper). Covered Moscow theater hostage crisis.

In April 2004, Andrei Soldatov started to make comments for radio Echo Moskvy as security expert. In July 2004, he joined weekly Moscow News as the secret services observer. He covered Beslan siege for Echo Moskvy and Moscow News. Since January 2006 he works for Novaya Gazeta.

He covered for Novaya Gazeta 2006 Lebanon War from Lebanon and tensions in West Bank and Gaza Strip (Palestine).

Soldatov regularly makes comments on terrorism and intelligence issues for Vedomosti, Radio Free Europe and BBC. Since July 2008 he is columnist of The Moscow Times.

In June 2008 The Moscow Times has written in [http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/1010/42/368345.htm article "Journalist Enjoying A Security Monopoly"]

"Agentura.ru has developed into an information and analytical hub, updated on a daily basis and covering developments related to security services in Russia and the former Soviet Union and terrorist groups worldwide. It also publishes articles on the history and practices of foreign security agencies and issues like media and legislative oversight of security services...

Soldatov himself has emerged as a security expert whose insights and opinion are in high demand from the media and Western think tanks".

Pressure of the FSB

On 1 November 2002, FSB officers searched the premises of Versiya, reportedly regarding information published in an Soldatov's article on 27 May 2002. However, Andrei Soldatov has claimed that this operation against his newspaper was related to a forthcoming article on the storming of the Moscow theatre and freeing of the hostages there on 26 October. Soldatov has been interrogated four times in Investigative Department of FSB based in Lefortovo.

In June 2008 Soldatov was questioned by FSB in Lefortovo over his interview with former SVR officer Sergei Tretyakov, who defected to US in 2000. This interview was published yearly 2008 year in Novaya Gazeta .

Works

In December 2005, Andrei Soldatov published with Irina Borogan the book "New patriot games. How secret services have been changing their skin 1991-2004".

In April 2008 Praeger has published "PSI Handbook of Global Security and Intelligence: National Approaches: Volume 1 - The Americas and Asia; Volume 2 - Europe and the Middle East" where Soldatov is author of chapter on Russia’s secret services.

External links

* [http://www.agentura.ru Agentura.Ru website] ru icon
* [http://www.agentura.ru/english/ Agentura.Ru English website] en icon
* [http://www.novayagazeta.ru/ Novaya Gazeta website]

References

* [http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/600/42/368345.htm Journalist Enjoying A Security Monopoly] The Moscow Times
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/14/technology/14SPYY.html A Web Site That Came in From the Cold to Unveil Russian Secrets] The New York Times
* [http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/secrecy/2000/12/121400.html Watching the watchers in Russia] Federation of American Scientists
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6452519.stm Russian spies 'at Cold War level'] BBC News
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/11/AR2006121101434.html In Russia, A Secretive Force Widens] The Washington Post
* [http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0601/p06s02-woeu.html Russian government sets sights on 'subversion'] The Christian Science Monitor