Revered science fiction writer Boris Strugatsky died in a St. Petersburg hospital late Monday after a grave illness, media reports said. He was 79.
President Vladimir Putin called Strugatsky "one of the brightest, most talented and popular writers of all time" and the "ruler of the dreams of many generations" in a statement posted on the Kremlin's website.
Strugatsky wrote several dozen novels with his brother Arkady Strugatsky from the 1960s until his brother's passing in 1991. Their books were printed in 321 editions in 27 countries, according to the Strugatsky Brothers Fund. Boris Strugatsky also accused film director James Cameron of taking the plot for the hit movie "Avatar" from his novel "World of Noon."
Strugatsky signed an open letter in 2005 calling on the international community to recognize Yukos founder Mikhail Khodorkovsky as a political prisoner, according to a biography of the writer on Ekho Moskvy's website.
Strugatsky supported Putin in the 2000 presidential election, but in a February 2010 interview with the opposition-sympathetic Novaya Gazeta newspaper he condemned Putin's continued rule as "authoritarian."
Strugatsky's family has yet to decide on the place and time of the funeral.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.