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About Mumin Shakirov

Liberty Radio journalist, writer and film director

Articles by Mumin Shakirov

Tuesday 15th February

Khodorkovsky: ballerinas, singers and ice-skaters turn against Putin

Mumin Shakirov, 15 February 2011
In 2005, encouraged by the Kremlin, 50 prominent Russians wrote an open letter supporting the original verdict against Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev. Five years and a second verdict later, Mumin Shakirov interviewed the signatories to see if they had changed their mind.
Wednesday 2nd February

Who was Mister Putin? An Interview with Boris Nemtsov

Mumin Shakirov, 2 February 2011
Russians can sense that Project Putin has reached its twilight. The prime minister would be well served by retiring before he is forced to. In an exclusive interview for openDemocracy, Mumin Shakirov speaks with former deputy prime minister and opposition leader Boris Nemtsov.

Wednesday 26th January

Drowning everyone but the terrorists: an interview with Boris Nemtsov

Mumin Shakirov, 26 January 2011
Monday’s attacks show that Russia’s counter-terrorist strategy is failing. The bad news for Russia’s leaders is that the public are no longer in the mood for excuses. Mumin Shakirov interviews opposition activist and former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov. This is an preview of an exclusive and wide-ranging interview, to be published in the coming week.

Friday 26th November

The buzz, the rattle and getting clean: confessions of a former drug addict

Mumin Shakirov, 26 November 2010
10 years ago former tennis prodigy Viktor Potemkin (not his real name) decided to come off heroin and leave the criminal world. He did this using the detox approach. Now he teaches, and trains future tennis stars. He talked to Mumin Shakirov.
Saturday 13th November

Sticks and stones: the blogs of Oleg Kashin

Mumin Shakirov, 13 November 2010
Oleg Kashin, a journalist for Kommersant newspaper, was brutally beaten in Moscow last weekend. Unknown assailants broke his jaw, legs and bent his fingers. He remains critically ill. Here we publish a selection of Kashin’s blog entries.
Friday 10th September

Russian documentary film: extinct, or almost. Interview with Vitaly Mansky. Part two

Mumin Shakirov, 10 September 2010
During perestroika Russians flocked to documentary films to find out about their ‘lost’ history. Then they lost interest, which suited the authorities. Now there is just a glimmer of hope that the situation is improving, says the celebrated documentary film maker Vitaly Mansky in conversation with Mumin Shakirov. Part two
Monday 6th September

Russian documentary film: extinct, or almost. Interview with Vitaly Mansky

Mumin Shakirov, 6 September 2010
In the late 80s Russians flocked to documentary films to find out about their ‘lost’ history. Now they’re becoming extinct. Putin’s regime doesn’t even use them for propaganda purposes. Mumin Shakirov interviews the celebrated documentary film maker Vitaly Mansky. Part one
Thursday 22nd July

Gastarbeiters in kino: Russia's invisible class gets its big break

Mumin Shakirov, 22 July 2010
At the recent Kinotavr film festival — "Russia's Cannes" — the main competition featured no less than three films dealing with the hitherto ignored plights of Russia’s migrant workers. For various reasons, all three films fell short of painting a realistic picture of the situation. But their production is just the start: many more Russian gastarbeiter movies are just around the corner.
Friday 26th February

Saving the Amur tiger

Mumin Shakirov, 26 February 2010
With the Amur tiger population facing extinction, organisations from Russia and abroad have been working to save them. They don’t always agree as to how this should be done. Then there are the politics, Mumin Shakirov observes. Perhaps the Year of the Tiger will be auspicious for the Amur big cats…
Friday 30th October

Astrakhan’s election drama – the bloggers’ view

Zygmunt Dzieciolowski and Mumin Shakirov, 30 October 2009
After the recent Russian local elections were won by the Kremlin-backed ruling party, United Russia, opposition parties cried foul. A review of blogs and online comments from the Russian southern city of Astrakhan shows quite how bad things got.
Wednesday 14th October

Moscow traffic: jam today and more jams tomorrow

Mumin Shakirov, 14 October 2009

Moscow jams 

 

Moscow, famously, has a traffic problem. But apart from moving the capital, there isn't really an answer, points out Mumin Shakirov

Tuesday 28th July

The tears flowed

Mumin Shakirov, 28 July 2009

The great Russian actor Oleg Yankovsky died in May this year.  Mumin Shakirov reviews the career of this outstanding actor and man

  Oleg Yankovsky as Metropolit

Oleg Yankovsky as Metropolit Philip in  Pavel Lungin's film "Tsar".

Tuesday 2nd June

Russian anti-Nazi film v Kremlin bulldogs

Mumin Shakirov, 2 June 2009

Pavel Bardin's film Russia 88, about Russian Nazis, has incurred official displeasure even before its release. Bardin says he wants to help government fight Russian fascism. Critics say the film's good. So what's the problem?The blogosphere is buzzing with answers

Rossiya 88 film

(Photo: Rossiya 88 film)

Monday 25th May

Saving baby seals: one woman’s crusade

Mumin Shakirov, 25 May 2009
Russia has banned the hunting of baby harp seals. The victory follows a personal crusade by International Fund for Animal Welfare's Maria Vorontsova.
Wednesday 18th March

Diary of an Uzbek Gastarbeiter

Mumin Shakirov, 18 March 2009
An Uzbek physics teacher works as a builder in Russia to feed his family. Read his story
Thursday 15th January

Dissenting blockbusters

Mumin Shakirov, 15 January 2009
In an era of growing Kremlin control over media, two big new Russian films remain defiant
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