Mark Solonin


Mark Solonin is a Russian historian, and author who writes about the history of World War II. An aviation engineer by training, he has written numerous books on the Second World War. Since 2016, Solonin lives in Estonia.

Early life

Mark Semionovich Solonin was born in Kuybyshev, USSR on May 29, 1958. His father had served with the Soviet Army in the Second World War. Mark developed strong interest in history as a boy. After graduating from secondary school with golden medal, he decided to study not history but aviation engineering because he felt that in the USSR politics would interfere with his potential career in history.

Career

Solonin's studies focus on history of the WWII and particularly the opening weeks of the Soviet-German War Solonin has written seven books that have been sold over 270,000 copies in Russia. Every book contains hundreds of source references, comparative tables on planning, weaponry and armor, author-drawn schemes of military operations. His works have been translated into Polish, German, Czech, Estonian, Lithuanian and Romanian languages.
Solonin criticized the new Russian Minister of Culture and revisionist historian Vladimir Medinsky as "a propagandist of the shameless Goebbels variety".. In response, he was criticized by several "official" Russian historians, mostly for supporting works by Viktor Suvorov about the beginning of WWII.