A foreign agent was banned from quoting Pasternak.

Literary critic Alexander Arkhangelsky, whom the Ministry of Justice recognized as a "foreign agent" in 2024, planned to include works by Boris Pasternak in his new book, "Poems We Can't Do Without."

Because copyright on literary works lasts for 70 years after the author's death, Arkhangelsky submitted an official request to the legal agency that manages the rights to Pasternak's works. However, they responded that they "are unable to work with foreign agents under current legislation" and refused.

“I won’t indulge in pathos and remind you that we are talking about the author of Doctor Zhivago, who was directly accused of foreign influence and forced out of the legal literary field,” wrote Alexander Arkhangelsky on his Telegram channel. I’ll just say that the publisher and I will find a beautiful solution.”

This isn't the first time the literary scholar has been refused permission due to his foreign agent status: according to him, a month ago, security officers at "a certain state museum" deemed it "inappropriate" to use a copy of Orest Kiprensky's portrait of Alexander Pushkin on the cover of his book (the original is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery).

"You try to do them good, but they try to stab you in the ribs." (Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago)