Roy Medvedev facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roy Medvedev
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| Рой Медведев | |
Medvedev in 2005
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Roy Aleksandrovich Medvedev
14 November 1925 Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, Transcaucasian SFSR, Soviet Union
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| Died | 13 February 2026 (aged 100) Moscow, Russia
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| Citizenship | Soviet Union (1925–1991) Russia (1991–2026) |
| Alma mater | Saint Petersburg State University |
| Known for | Human rights activism with participation in dissident movement in the Soviet Union |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Russian studies, investigative journalism |
Roy Aleksandrovich Medvedev (Russian: Рой Алекса́ндрович Медве́дев; born November 14, 1925 – died February 13, 2026) was a Russian writer and a public figure. He was known for his writings that openly discussed the history of Stalinism in the Soviet Union, especially his famous book, Let History Judge. This book was first published in English in 1972.
Contents
About Roy Medvedev
Early Life and Family
Roy Medvedev was born in Tbilisi on November 14, 1925. At that time, Tbilisi was part of the Soviet Union. He was named in honor of an Indian communist leader, M. N. Roy.
He had an identical twin brother named Zhores Medvedev, who was a biologist and passed away in 2018. Their father, Alexander Medvedev, was a Soviet military officer. He faced difficulties during a challenging time in the Soviet Union. He was arrested in 1938 and passed away in 1941. Roy's mother was Yulia Isaakovna Reiman, a talented cellist.
Speaking Out
From a young age, Roy Medvedev was interested in history and politics. He openly discussed and criticized the actions of former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and the system known as Stalinism. In the early 1960s, he started sharing his writings through samizdat. This was a way for people to secretly copy and share books and articles that the government did not officially approve of. He also disagreed with Lysenkoism, which was an unscientific idea about biology promoted in the Soviet Union.
In 1969, Roy Medvedev was removed from the Communist Party. This happened after his book Let History Judge was published outside the Soviet Union. The book shared critical views about Stalin when the government was trying to present a more positive image of him. Roy Medvedev believed in a more open and fair version of socialism. He shared his ideas in an open letter to the Soviet leaders in 1970, along with other thinkers like Andrei Sakharov.
His brother, Zhores, who was also a writer and scientist, faced challenges because of his views. He was briefly held in a hospital and later had to leave the country, moving to Britain. Roy Medvedev wrote about these events with his brother in their book, A Question of Madness.
Later Years and Public Service
In 1989, Roy Medvedev rejoined the Communist Party. This was during a time when Mikhail Gorbachev was introducing new programs. These programs were called perestroika (meaning "restructuring") and glasnost (meaning "openness"). They aimed to reform the country's politics and economy.
He was chosen to be a member of the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union, which was a major government body. He also became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. After the Soviet Union ended in 1991, Roy Medvedev helped start a new political group. It was called the Socialist Party of Working People.
In 2008, he wrote a book about Vladimir Putin, giving a positive review of his time as president. In May 2025, when he was 99 years old, he gave an interview where he continued to support President Putin's policies. Roy Medvedev passed away on February 13, 2026, at the age of 100.
His Books
Roy Medvedev wrote many important books, often with his brother Zhores. Here are some of his well-known works:
- Let History Judge: The Origin and Consequences of Stalinism (first published in 1972, revised in 1989)
- On Socialist Democracy (1975)
- A Question Of Madness (with Zhores Medvedev) (1971)
- Khrushchev: The Years in Power (with Zhores Medvedev) (1976)
- All Stalin's Men (1984)
- The Unknown Stalin (with Zhores Medvedev) (2004)
See also
In Spanish: Roy Medvedev para niños
 | William L. Dawson |
 | W. E. B. Du Bois |
 | Harry Belafonte |
