In Russia, people suffer from the stillness of time.

If you have to be careful because of oppression and censorship, this pressure produces diamonds.

Art has nothing to do with politics. It is the freest thing in the world.

People know that I am a very good author. But they would rather read what I have to say about the next election.

I am interested in the subject which is Russia.

Politics disappears; it vanishes. What remains constant is human life. So I try to develop a perspective in my writing where politics is just one of the pieces of furniture in this furnished world. It is not the purpose. It is not the goal.

I don't want to deal with big, grand themes in my stories; art has nothing to do with themes. When you deal with themes, you are not creating; you are lecturing.