Russian writer Michail Zygar will visit Helsinki on Tuesday, and his new book is due out in Swedish in January. In an interview with HBL, Zygar describes Russia as a colonial power and says the country does not want to recognise itself in that light.

According to Zygar, the Soviet Union helped create a mindset in which Russians came to believe their own colonialism was somehow different from everyone else’s. That view helps explain why questions about empire, history and power remain sensitive in Russia today.

The Helsinki visit will bring one of the most prominent critical Russian voices to a Finnish audience. When the Swedish-language edition appears in January, the book will reach readers across the Nordic region as well.