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Russian Writers and Police Investigators Join Forces

Leonid Pasternak / Wikicommons

The Writer’s Union and Investigative Committee signed an agreement on collaboration in Moscow on Oct. 10, the Meduza news website reported.

During the signing ceremony, head of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin praised the Writer’s Union as a patriotic organization and explained the purpose of the agreement.

“It is becoming more and more urgent and difficult to preserve and protect historical truth and reliably maintain Russia’s informational security. For this reason, we want to join forces so that each in his own way can make a powerful contribution to the battle for the minds of the younger generation,” he said.

The chairman of the Writer’s Union, Valery Ganichev, welcomed the collaboration and noted the similarities in the professions of writer and detective, saying that they just “investigate different areas of human life.” 

He expressed hope that their joint work “would give young writers a chance to study more deeply and in more detail the image of the investigator and bring it to life in fiction.”

On his part, Bastrykin said he hoped that “the lives and professional activities of our investigators are reflected in writers’ works. Because, believe me, we can give you plots for your books that you’d never be able to dream up in a million years.”

Bastrykin was made a member of the Writer’s Union in June 2016. He is the author of hundreds of books and articles, most about the art and science of criminology.  

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