Oleg Radzinsky - writer, former investment banker and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rambler, son of the famous writer-historian and playwright Edvard Radzinsky. Radzinsky was graduating from the Faculty of Philology at Moscow State University when in 1982 he was arrested by the KGB and subsequently convicted on charges of “anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda”. He was released in 1987, the same year he emigrated to the United States. After postgraduate studies at Columbia University in international finance and many years of work on Wall Street, he returned to Moscow to head the Board of Directors of Rambler, Russia's largest Internet company. He remained in this position until 2006. He currently lives in Switzerland and the UK.
Author of the novels “Surinam” and “Agafonkin and Time”, short story collections “Visitation” and “Ivanova's Freedom”. In October 2018, Corpus Publishing published his book “Random Lives”, as well as a new edition of the novel “Surinam” and the novel “Gods and Superfluous”.
Arkady Ostrovsky - Russian-born British journalist, political observer, publicist, theater historian, translator. Doctor of Philosophy in English literature. He is a contributor to The Economist magazine (editor of the Russian Federation and Eastern Europe section; headed its Moscow bureau) and formerly to the Financial Times. Pulitzer Prize finalist, winner of the Orwell Prize (2016).
“Penitential Days” - is a Moscow saga during Putin's war in Ukraine. The Naydenov family lived their lives, while outside the windows of their apartment another life was going on, ruled by other people. The Naydenovs thought it would be like that - two parallel, non-overlapping lives in the same country. Or two countries - their own and the rest of Russia. The war started and everything changed. And now it's either to run or to fight. Or try to glue back together what the war has broken. The war started on TV. And then the tanks rolled off the blue screen and moved into the apartments. Along with the war.
At the meeting you will be able to ask questions of the author, purchase and sign the book.
What Are the Objectives of the Award?
The primary goal of the Award is to support authors and promote Russian-language literature worldwide. We welcome all who write and read in Russian, regardless of citizenship or place of residence. We aim to foster a Russian-language culture free from political and imperial influences.
How Is the Award Process Conducted?
The Prize is awarded annually. The Jury holds a vote in which each member selects between one and three works. The author whose work receives the highest number of votes becomes the winner.
What Awards Are Provided?
The Prize winner receives a grant for the translation of their work into English, French, and German.
When Does the Submission Period for the Competition Start and End?
Submissions for the third season of the prize will open on July 15, 2026, and close on October 15, 2026.
When will the list of finalists and winners be announced?
On January 20, 2027, the Council of Experts will announce the shortlist. The Independent Jury will announce the winner on May 25, 2027.
What are the conditions for the nomination of a book for the award
Works published in 2025 are eligible for the third season of the competition. Eligible works (novels, novellas, short story and essay collections, documentary prose) may have been published either as standalone editions or in literary magazines. Nominations may be submitted by publishing houses and magazine editorial boards, as well as by the authors themselves or third parties (with the author's consent and written confirmation). Texts must be submitted for consideration in electronic format. The DAR Prize is open to all authors. Given the prize's main goals — promoting contemporary Russian-language literature outside of Russia — and the nature of the award itself (a translation grant), priority will be given to authors whose works have not previously been translated into English, French, or German.
