Russia's largest publishing house, Eksmo, has confirmed that its chief executive and several employees are being questioned in a criminal extremism investigation centered on books with LGBTQ themes. The probe, which the company firmly rejects, marks a significant escalation in the state's campaign against cultural expression deemed to violate so-called 'traditional values.'
The case specifically involves titles published by Popcorn Books, a youth-oriented imprint Eksmo acquired in 2023 but shut down earlier this year. According to a statement from Eksmo on Telegram, the investigation relates to 'several dozens' of books that were sold during the imprint's closure process. The company stated that since 2022, it has faced repeated inspections for potential 'propaganda of non-traditional relationships, sex change and paedophilia.'
A Bestseller in the Crosshairs
Among the books cited in the case is the novel Summer in a Pioneer's Tie by Elena Malisova and Katerina Silvanova. The story, which chronicles a romance between two young men at a Soviet summer camp in 1986, was a major commercial success, selling over 200,000 copies in its first six months. Its inclusion underscores how previously mainstream and legal cultural products are being retroactively criminalized.
This legal action follows the Russian Supreme Court's 2023 ruling that designated a non-existent 'international LGBT social movement' as an extremist organization, effectively outlawing any public LGBTQ advocacy or symbolism. The move has provided a legal basis for widespread crackdowns, including raids on clubs and bars and fines for displaying rainbow flags.
Political scientist Fyodor Krasheninnikov condemned the publishing investigation in stark terms on Telegram. He argued that even in the Soviet era under Joseph Stalin, a book deemed 'harmful' might lead to its withdrawal or an editor's dismissal, but not criminal conspiracy charges.
'But to retroactively declare any participation in the publication of something that was perfectly legal at the time of publication as involvement in a criminal conspiracy is Stalinism in its darkest form,' Krasheninnikov wrote.
The Wider Crackdown on Culture
The case against Eksmo is not an isolated incident but part of a systemic hardening of repressive laws under President Vladimir Putin. For years, the Kremlin has promoted a vision of 'traditional values' that justifies the suppression of films, books, art, and cultural works related to LGBTQ themes. This ultra-conservative turn has accelerated since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, paralleling strict censorship on media and dissent.
Founded in 1991, Eksmo leads the Russian book market, publishing a vast range of adult and children's literature. The criminal targeting of such a mainstream industry pillar signals the state's willingness to extend its campaign beyond activist circles into the heart of commercial cultural production. The investigation also reflects a pattern of using broad, politicized legal designations to suppress expression, a tactic seen in other contexts such as when pro-Russian networks deploy AI-generated content for information warfare.
While this story unfolds in Moscow, the Kremlin's model of leveraging culture wars and 'values' rhetoric to consolidate control and divert from other crises resonates with political strategies observed in parts of Europe. It stands in stark contrast to scenes of cultural defiance elsewhere on the continent, such as Marseille's 'Final Rave' protesting French crackdowns on free parties.
The implications extend beyond Russia's borders, presenting a challenge for European cultural exchanges and raising questions about the defense of creative freedom. As Russia's most prominent publisher fights the 'extremism' label for publishing fiction, the case crystallizes the deepening conflict between state-prescribed morality and artistic expression under the current regime.
