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==Life== ==Life==
Yevgenia Albats was born ] ]. Her father, Mark Yevgenyevich Albats worked for ] on the territory occupied by ] during ]. In 1943 he was discharged from the Army and worked as an engineer designing ] systems for Soviet defense industry <ref name="Fired"/>. Yevgenia Albats was born ] ]. Her father, Mark Evgenievich Albats during ] worked as an agent of ] on the territory occuppied by ]. In 1943 he was wounded, part of his foot was ] and he was discharged from the Army. Since then he worked as an engineer designing ] systems for Soviet defence industry <ref name="Fired"/>.


Yevgenia Albats graduated from the Department of Journalism of ] in ]. She started her professional work as a science observer writing about ] and ] for the Sunday addition named ''Nedelya'' (Week) to the governmental ] newspaper. In 1986-1992 she worked for the ] newspaper. In 1993-2000 she was a member of the Clemency Commission at the office of ]. In 1996-2006 she worked for Izvestia (led the weekly column "We and Our Children") and ].<ref name=echo> {{ru icon}}</ref> Izvestia dismissed Albats in 1997 after one of her publications. She was restored by a court decision on ] ].<ref name="Fired"/> Yevgenia Albats graduated from the Department of Journalism of ] in ]. She started her professional work as a science observer writing about ] and ] for the Sunday addition named ''Nedelya'' (Week) to the governmental ] newspaper. In 1986-1992 she worked for the ] newspaper. In 1993-2000 she was a member of the Clemency Comission at the office of ]. In 1996-2006 she worked for Izvestia (led the weekly colomn "We and Our Children") and ] <ref name=echo> {{ru icon}} </ref>. In 1997 Albats was fired from her work in Izvestia after the publication of her article but restored by a court decision on ] ] <ref name="Fired"/>.


She received the Golden Pen Award from the Russian Union of Jornalists <!-- Not to be confused with ] ---> for exposing horrid conditions in maternity wards <ref name=AJR> ''American Jounalism Review'', November 1995 </ref> in ]. She became a fellow of the ] at ] in 1993. She received the Golden Pen Award from the Russian Union of Jornalists <!-- Not to be confused with ] ---> for exposing horrid conditions in maternity wards <ref name=AJR> ''American Jounalism Review'', November 1995 </ref> in ]. She became a fellow of the ] at ] in 1993.
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She confirmed that Russian ] was ] agent DROZDOV. This has also been reported by ] and dissident priest ] who was given access to KGB archives. <ref name="Andrew"> ] and ], ''The ]: The KGB in Europe and the West'', Gardners Books (2000), ISBN 0-14-028487-7 </ref> <ref name="Albats"> Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. ''The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia--Past, Present, and Future.'' 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5.</ref> She confirmed that Russian ] was ] agent DROZDOV. This has also been reported by ] and dissident priest ] who was given access to KGB archives. <ref name="Andrew"> ] and ], ''The ]: The KGB in Europe and the West'', Gardners Books (2000), ISBN 0-14-028487-7 </ref> <ref name="Albats"> Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. ''The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia--Past, Present, and Future.'' 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5.</ref>


==Radio talk shows== ==Talk shows==
⚫ She also works as a radio host at ]. One of her recent interviews was with ], director of the Moscow-based Center for the Study of Elites. <ref name="Finn"> - by P. Finn - Washington Post, 2006 </ref> They discussed members of ] and other state security and intelligence agencies as ] of Russia. Kryshtanovskaya explained that key positions in Russian government, Parliament, and business are held by the former and current members of the FSB and other state security, intelligence and military organizations, who are collectively known as "]'s" and united by their military background and ] views. She noted that most FSB members remain in the "acting reserve" even if they formally leave the organization. All "acting reserve" members receive second FSB salary, follow FSB instructions, and remain above the law, being protected by the organization, according to Kryshtanovskaya <ref name="Kryshtan"> "]s in power: fears or reality?" by Evgenia Albats, ], 4 February 2006 </ref>.


==Talk show scandal==
⚫ Albats hosts a weekly talk show at radio station ]. One of her recent interviews was with ], director of the Moscow-based Center for the Study of Elites. <ref name="Finn"> - by P. Finn - Washington Post, 2006 </ref> They discussed members of ] and other state security and intelligence agencies as ] of Russia. Kryshtanovskaya explained that key positions in Russian government, Parliament, and business are held by the former and current members of the FSB and other state security, intelligence and military organizations, who are collectively known as "]'s" and united by their military background and ] views. She noted that most FSB members remain in the "acting reserve" even if they formally leave the organization. All "acting reserve" members receive second FSB salary, follow FSB instructions, and remain above the law, being protected by the organization, according to Kryshtanovskaya <ref name="Kryshtan"> "]s in power: fears or reality?" by Evgenia Albats, ], 4 February 2006 </ref>.
In October 2006 Yevgenia Albats publicly attacked a journalist ] who was invited to Albats's ] talk show, along with two other journalists.<ref>, Full Albats, a talk show by Yevgenia Albats, ], 22 October 2006 (in Russian)</ref> Earlier, Arutunian wrote an article in the ] criticizing ], who had already been murdered by the time. Arutunian wrote that Politkovskaya had been more an activist than a journalist and that her articles had been full of "inaccuracies".<ref> By Anna Arutunyan, ], №39, 2006.</ref> At the talk show, Albats accused Arutunyan of defamation of the late Politkovskaya based on secondary sources and was openly harrassing her by questions like whether the article had been written by Arutunian himself, hinting that this was a publication ordered by the government.<ref name="Gexogen"> by Yelena Kalashnikova (in Russian)</ref><ref name="Kashin"> by Oleg Kashin, business newspaper Vzgliad, October 26, 2006 (in Russian)</ref>


In another session Albats confronted a journalist Anna Arutunyan.<ref>, Full Albats, a talk show by Yevgenia Albats, ], 22 October 2006 (in Russian)</ref> Earlier, Arutunyan wrote an article in the ] criticizing ], who had already been murdered by the time. Arutunyan wrote that Politkovskaya had been more an activist than a journalist and that her articles had been full of "inaccuracies".<ref> By Anna Arutunyan, ], №39, 2006.</ref> At the talk, Albats accused Arutunyan of defamation of the late Politkovskaya hinting that the article was ordered by the government and doubting in Arutunyan's authorship. Journalists ] viewed Albats' behavior as extremely uncivil and rude. <ref name="Kashin"> by Oleg Kashin, business newspaper Vzgliad, October 26, 2006 (in Russian)</ref>. He reported on a ] campaign by Russian Internet users against Yevgenia Albats under a slogan "''Albats, get out of the air!''" <ref name="Kashin"> by Oleg Kashin, business newspaper Vzgliad, October 26, 2006 (in Russian)</ref> Albats had intentionally abruptly changed the original topic of the talk show.<ref name="Kashin"> by Oleg Kashin, business newspaper Vzgliad, October 26, 2006 (in Russian)</ref><ref name="Gexogen"> by Yelena Kalashnikova (in Russian)</ref> Later, Albats had approached Arutunian after the show and had demanded her "to leave the profession", threatening that she had reported Arutunian's article to her boss in the US, ]'s chief editor, and promised to "look after all publications from now on".<ref name="Kashin"> by Oleg Kashin, business newspaper Vzgliad, October 26, 2006 (in Russian)</ref><ref name="Gexogen"> by Yelena Kalashnikova (in Russian)</ref> Critics ] and ] viewed Albats' behaviour as extremly uncivil, undemocratic and rude.<ref name="Gexogen"> by Yelena Kalashnikova (in Russian)</ref><ref name="Kashin"> by Oleg Kashin, business newspaper Vzgliad, October 26, 2006 (in Russian)</ref>

Magazine ] and newspaper ] journalist ] reported on a ] campaign by Russian Internet users against Yevgenia Albats under a slogan "''Albats, get out of the air!''" (''Альбац, вон из эфира!''). According to Kashin, Albats obtained her Higher School of Economics professorship due to appartchik talent of rector Yaroslav Kuzminov and not for her real education contributions.<ref name="Kashin"> by Oleg Kashin, business newspaper Vzgliad, October 26, 2006 (in Russian)</ref>


==References== ==References==

Revision as of 06:13, 22 February 2007

Yevgenia Albats (Template:Lang-ru; born 5 September 1958 ) is a Russian investigative journalist, political scientist, writer, and radio host.

Life

Yevgenia Albats was born 5 September 1958. Her father, Mark Evgenievich Albats during World War II worked as an agent of Soviet military intelligence on the territory occuppied by Germany. In 1943 he was wounded, part of his foot was amputated and he was discharged from the Army. Since then he worked as an engineer designing radiolocation systems for Soviet defence industry .

Yevgenia Albats graduated from the Department of Journalism of Moscow State University in 1980. She started her professional work as a science observer writing about astrophysics and particle physics for the Sunday addition named Nedelya (Week) to the governmental Izvestia newspaper. In 1986-1992 she worked for the Moscow News newspaper. In 1993-2000 she was a member of the Clemency Comission at the office of President of Russian Federation. In 1996-2006 she worked for Izvestia (led the weekly colomn "We and Our Children") and Novaya Gazeta . In 1997 Albats was fired from her work in Izvestia after the publication of her article but restored by a court decision on 15 March 1997 .

She received the Golden Pen Award from the Russian Union of Jornalists for exposing horrid conditions in maternity wards in 1989. She became a fellow of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University in 1993.

In 2004 Albats received her PhD degree in political sciences from Harvard University. She is currently a Professor in the Moscow Higher School of Economics and works at the radio station Echo of Moscow. She also writes for Moscow Times.

Research and investigative journalism

Albats is known as a researcher on KGB subjects who was assigned by the Russian Parliament to examine the KGB archives after the Soviet coup attempt of 1991. As a member of an official commission to investigate KGB activities, she interviewed many KGB officers. Albats described some of her findings in the book "The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia--Past, Present, and Future" published in 1994. She estimated that the number of Chekists in Russia in 1992 was approximately 500,000. It means that "Russia has one FSB-ist for every 297 citizens", whereas "the Soviet Union had one KGB officer for every 428 citizens."

She described KGB as a leading political force, rather than a security organization. According to Albats, most KGB leaders, including Lavrenty Beria, Yuri Andropov, and Vladimir Kryuchkov, have always struggled for the power with the Communist Party and manipulated the communist leaders. Moreover, FSB has formal membership, military discipline, an extensive network of civilian informants , hardcore ideology of Russian nationalism, and support of population (60% of Russians trust FSB ), which makes it a perfect totalitarian party Such views are shared by journalist John Barron , retired KGB Major General Oleg Kalugin and the highest-ranking Soviet Bloc intelligence defector, Lt. Gen. Ion Mihai Pacepa

Albats also revealed collaboration of American Senator Edward Kennedy with KGB that has been established through Western financier and KGB agent David Karr. In 1992, she published an article in Izvestia quoting documents from KGB archives that Karr was “a competent KGB source” who ‘‘submitted information to the KGB on the technical capabilities of the United States and other capitalist countries.”

She cited KGB correspondence about money payments to Rajiv Gandhi and his family, which have been arranged by Viktor Chebrikov

She confirmed that Russian Patriarch Alexius II was KGB agent DROZDOV. This has also been reported by Vasili Mitrokhin and dissident priest Gleb Yakunin who was given access to KGB archives.

Talk shows

She also works as a radio host at Echo of Moscow. One of her recent interviews was with Olga Kryshtanovskaya, director of the Moscow-based Center for the Study of Elites. They discussed members of FSB and other state security and intelligence agencies as ruling class of Russia. Kryshtanovskaya explained that key positions in Russian government, Parliament, and business are held by the former and current members of the FSB and other state security, intelligence and military organizations, who are collectively known as "silovik's" and united by their military background and nationalistic views. She noted that most FSB members remain in the "acting reserve" even if they formally leave the organization. All "acting reserve" members receive second FSB salary, follow FSB instructions, and remain above the law, being protected by the organization, according to Kryshtanovskaya .

Talk show scandal

In October 2006 Yevgenia Albats publicly attacked a journalist Anna Arutunian who was invited to Albats's Echo of Moscow talk show, along with two other journalists. Earlier, Arutunian wrote an article in the Moscow News criticizing Anna Politkovskaya, who had already been murdered by the time. Arutunian wrote that Politkovskaya had been more an activist than a journalist and that her articles had been full of "inaccuracies". At the talk show, Albats accused Arutunyan of defamation of the late Politkovskaya based on secondary sources and was openly harrassing her by questions like whether the article had been written by Arutunian himself, hinting that this was a publication ordered by the government.

Albats had intentionally abruptly changed the original topic of the talk show. Later, Albats had approached Arutunian after the show and had demanded her "to leave the profession", threatening that she had reported Arutunian's article to her boss in the US, The Nation's chief editor, and promised to "look after all publications from now on". Critics Yelena Kalashnikova and Oleg Kashin viewed Albats' behaviour as extremly uncivil, undemocratic and rude.

Magazine Expert and newspaper Vzglyad journalist Oleg Kashin reported on a flash mob campaign by Russian Internet users against Yevgenia Albats under a slogan "Albats, get out of the air!" (Альбац, вон из эфира!). According to Kashin, Albats obtained her Higher School of Economics professorship due to appartchik talent of rector Yaroslav Kuzminov and not for her real education contributions.

References

  1. ^ http://www.agentura.ru/dossier/russia/people/albaz/ Agentura.ru Dossier
  2. Dictionary New Russia Znamya magazine
  3. Albats' site at Echo of Moscow Template:Ru icon
  4. Sherry Ricchiardi Standing Up to Death Threats American Jounalism Review, November 1995
  5. Bureaucrats and the Russian transition: The politics of accommodation, 1991-2003. PhD Dissertation, Harvard University, 2004. - 343 p.
  6. The Spies Who Stayed Out in the Cold, The New York Times, by Glenn Garelik, November 27, 1994
  7. ^ Symposium: When an Evil Empire Returns, interview with Ion Mihai Pacepa, R. James Woolsey, Jr., Yuri Yarim-Agaev, and Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney, FrontPageMagazine.com, June 23, 2006.
  8. Slaves of KGB. 20th Century. The religion of betrayal (Рабы ГБ. XX век. Религия предательства), by Yuri Shchekochikhin Moscow, 1999.
  9. Archives explosion by Maksim Artemiev, grani.ru, December 22, 2006
  10. ^ Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia--Past, Present, and Future. 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5. Cite error: The named reference "Albats" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  11. KGB: The Secret Work of Soviet Secret Agents. New York: Reader's Digest Press, 1974. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1974. New York: Bantam Books, 1974
  12. The Triumph of the KGB by retired KGB Major General Oleg D. Kalugin
  13. Senator Edward Kennedy Requested KGB Assistance With a Profitable Contract for his Businessman-Friend, Izvestia 24 June 1992, 5.
  14. Can Corrupt Politicians Preserve Freedom?, by Rajinder Puri (it claims that KGB chief Viktor Chebrikov in December 1985 had sought in writing from the CPSU, "authorization to make payments in US dollars to the family members of Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, namely Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Ms Paola Maino, mother of Sonia Gandhi." )
  15. Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin, The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West, Gardners Books (2000), ISBN 0-14-028487-7
  16. In Russia, A Secretive Force Widens - by P. Finn - Washington Post, 2006
  17. Interview with Olga Kryshtanovskaya (Russian) "Siloviks in power: fears or reality?" by Evgenia Albats, Echo of Moscow, 4 February 2006
  18. Does Russian society need a fourth estate?, Full Albats, a talk show by Yevgenia Albats, Echo of Moscow, 22 October 2006 (in Russian)
  19. Journalist Murder a Conundrum By Anna Arutunyan, Moscow News, №39, 2006.
  20. ^ Boorishness as a World View by Yelena Kalashnikova (in Russian)
  21. ^ Full Albats by Oleg Kashin, business newspaper Vzgliad, October 26, 2006 (in Russian)

Her books

  • Bureaucrats and Russian Transition: Politics of Accommodation. Harvard University Press, 2004.
  • Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia--Past, Present, and Future. 1994. ISBN 0-374-18104-7.

External links

English

Russian

Some of her articles (English)

Articles about her

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