Mark Solonin
Mark Solonin is a Russian historian and author of numerous books on the Second World War. An aviation engineer by training, he has lived since 2016 in Estonia. In 2019 he relocated to Ukraine. Since 2022 he lives in Kyiv.
Early life
Mark Semionovich Solonin was born in Kuybyshev, Soviet Union, on May 29, 1958. With a father who had served with the Soviet Army in the Second World War, he developed strong interest in history as a boy. After graduating from secondary school with a golden medal, he decided to study not history but aviation engineering to avoid Soviet politics from interfering with his potential career in history.Career
Solonin's studies focus on the Second World War, particularly the opening weeks of the Soviet-German War. Solonin wrote several books outlining Soviet [offensive plans controversy|theory of the USSR planning to attack Germany first in 1941].Solonin criticized the new Russian Minister of Culture and historian Vladimir Medinsky as "a propagandist of the shameless Goebbels variety".