Andrey Kurkov is a democracy activist, an unwavering critic of Vladimir Putin and a highly acclaimed and popular Ukrainian novelist. As a result of his criticism of Putin, his books were banned in Russia in 2014 and he was placed on a Kremlin list of pro-Ukrainian activists. Andrey is also a contributor to some of the world’s leading newspapers. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Andrey regularly reported on the situation on the ground and published “Diary of an Invasion,” a collection of his writings and broadcasts from Kyiv. Andrey was named Ukraine’s most famous living writer by The New York Times, and has been recognized worldwide for both his novels and activism,