Maxim Katz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maxim Katz
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Максим Кац
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Katz in 2020
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| Member of the Russian Opposition Coordination Council | |
| In office 22 October 2012 – 27 May 2013 |
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| Member of the municipal assembly of the Shchukino district of Moscow | |
| In office 4 March 2012 – 18 September 2016 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 December 1984 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (now Russia) |
| Political party | Yabloko (2016—2020) |
| Education | University of Glasgow, Tel Aviv University |
| Occupation | Politician, activist, businessman |
Maxim Yevgenyevich Katz (born December 23, 1984) is a Russian politician, activist, and popular YouTuber. He is known for being part of the political opposition in Russia, which means he often disagrees with the government's actions. Katz is also an expert in urban planning, which is the study of how to make cities better places to live.
Katz began his political career in 2011 when he was elected to a local government position in Moscow. He is also known for helping other opposition politicians run their election campaigns.
In 2012, Katz and his partner Ilya Varlamov started the City Projects Foundation. This group works on improving life in Russian cities. His YouTube channel, where he posts daily videos about politics, has over 2 million subscribers.
Because he has spoken out against the war in Ukraine, Katz has faced legal problems in Russia and now lives outside the country.
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Life and Education
Maxim Katz was born in Moscow, Russia. When he was a child, his family moved to Israel. He returned to Russia in 2001.
Before getting into politics, Katz was a professional poker player. In 2007, he became a champion at the World Series of Poker.
In 2012, he was elected as a representative for the Shchukino district in Moscow. That same year, he started the City Projects Foundation to focus on improving city life.
Katz is also highly educated. In 2016, he won a special Chevening Scholarship from the UK government. This allowed him to earn a Master's degree in Public and Urban Policy from the University of Glasgow in 2017. In 2023, he earned a second Master's degree from Tel Aviv University.
Leaving Russia
In 2022, Katz publicly stated his opposition to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Soon after, he left Russia. The Russian government later named him a "foreign agent," a label given to people who are seen as receiving foreign support. He also faced legal charges in Russia because of his comments about the war.
Political Work
Making Cities Better
Katz became interested in how cities are designed while traveling. In 2012, he and Ilya Varlamov created the City Projects Foundation. The foundation uses ideas from modern urbanism to make cities more comfortable and convenient for people.
By 2020, the foundation had branches in many cities across Russia and thousands of supporters. The work of these branches was paused in 2022.
Helping in Elections
Maxim Katz is known for managing election campaigns for politicians who are in the opposition. He believes that "if you are against Putin, we will help you."
Here are some of the campaigns he has worked on:
- 2013: He was the deputy manager for Alexei Navalny's campaign for mayor of Moscow. The campaign was very successful, earning 27% of the vote and making Navalny a major opposition leader.
- 2016: He managed Dmitry Gudkov's campaign for the State Duma (Russia's main parliament). The campaign won an award for its creative use of the internet.
- 2017: He helped create the "United Democrats" project. This project helped independent candidates run in Moscow's local elections. Thanks to this project, 267 new representatives were elected.
- 2019: He managed Darya Besedina's successful campaign for the Moscow City Duma. Her campaign raised a lot of money from individual supporters.
- 2019: He also helped 99 opposition candidates get elected to local councils in Saint Petersburg.
- 2021: He managed Anastasia Bryukhanova's campaign for the State Duma. The campaign was funded by small donations from many people.
YouTube Channel
Maxim Katz runs a popular YouTube channel in his own name. He posts new videos every day about politics and current events. He often presents information that challenges what is shown on Russian state television.
After the war in Ukraine began, his channel's viewership grew quickly, with many videos getting over a million views. People watch his channel to hear a different perspective on events. As of 2024, the channel has over 2.3 million subscribers and more than 1.1 billion total views.
Awards
In 2021, Katz received the Global Belarusian Solidarity Award. He was recognized for his commentary on events happening in the country of Belarus.
