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Eduard Limonov, Soviet-Era dissident & writer who shocked Russia, dead at 77 Eduard Limonov, Soviet-Era dissident & writer who shocked Russia, dead at 77
(32 minutes later)
The Russian writer, politician and Soviet-era dissident Eduard Limonov has died at 77. His controversial 1970s memoir 'It's me, Eddie' scandalized Russia when first published in the country in 1991, selling over a million copies.The Russian writer, politician and Soviet-era dissident Eduard Limonov has died at 77. His controversial 1970s memoir 'It's me, Eddie' scandalized Russia when first published in the country in 1991, selling over a million copies.
His death was announced by State Duma (national parliament) deputy and chief editor of 'Yunost' magazine Sergei Shargunov. His assistant Dmitry Sidorenko subsequently confirmed it to Moscow daily RBK. He didn't specify a cause of death but said it happened on Tuesday. His death was announced by State Duma (national parliament) deputy and chief editor of 'Yunost' magazine Sergei Shargunov. His assistant Dmitry Sidorenko subsequently confirmed it to Moscow daily RBK. He didn't specify a cause of death, but Russian media suggested it was complications from surgery. 
Shargunov told the TASS news agency that Limonov died on Tuesday evening at a hospital in Moscow. "He had his wits about him to the end, and was talking, he remained of sound and clear mind," the MP explained. 
Born in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod (then Gorky) region in 1943, as Eduard Savenko, to a military family, Limonov mostly grew up in Kharkov, in Soviet Ukraine. He moved to Moscow in the 1960s where he wrote poetry and became active in literary circles. in 1973, Limonov and his second wife, Elena Shchapova, emigrated from the Soviet Union. Soon after, she left him and married an Italian Count.Born in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod (then Gorky) region in 1943, as Eduard Savenko, to a military family, Limonov mostly grew up in Kharkov, in Soviet Ukraine. He moved to Moscow in the 1960s where he wrote poetry and became active in literary circles. in 1973, Limonov and his second wife, Elena Shchapova, emigrated from the Soviet Union. Soon after, she left him and married an Italian Count.
Limonov settled in New York, working for a Russian-language newspaper and immersing himself in radical politics and the punk sub-culture. He claimed was harassed by the FBI, writing that "the FBI is just as zealous in putting down American radicals as the KGB is with its own radicals and dissidents... [but] the methods of the FBI are more modern." Limonov settled in New York, working for a Russian-language newspaper and immersing himself in radical politics and the punk sub-culture. He complained about harassment from the FBI, writing that "the FBI is just as zealous in putting down American radicals as the KGB is with its own radicals and dissidents... [but] the methods of the FBI are more modern."
He later wrote about this period in the memoir where he detailed casual sexual encounters with homeless people. In France, where it was first published, it was titled 'The Russian Poet Prefers Big Blacks (Le poète russe préfère les grands nègres.' He later wrote about this period in 'It's me, Eddie' where he detailed casual sexual encounters with homeless people. In France, where it was first published, it was titled 'The Russian Poet Prefers Big Blacks (Le poète russe préfère les grands nègres.'
Disillusioned with America, Limonov relocated to Paris in 1980. In France, his writing found a receptive audience and he remained popular there over the following decades. In 2011, the French film director, and writer Emmanuel Carrère wrote a biographical novel based on the Russian's life and times. 
After a newly constituted Russia emerged from the Soviet collapse, Limonov took Russian citizenship. He had been stateless from 1974 to 1987, when he acquired a French passport, which he would later relinquish. 
In Moscow, he set up a magazine 'Limonka' and founded an ultra-nationalist political party, called the 'National Bolsheviks.' It advocated for Russia to create a huge empire, dominating all of Europe and north and central Asia. The movement, seen as a midpoint between communism and fascism by Limonov's then ally, controversial philosopher Alexandr Dugin, was outlawed. 
In the 1990s, Limonov was already agitating for Crimea to be returned to Russia. He also passionately supported Bosnian Serbs in the Yugoslav wars and was once notoriously filmed shooting a Browning machine gun in the hills above Sarajevo, in the presence of Radovan Karadzic. 
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