Independent expertise on Soviet archives, Stalin-era repression, and archival investigations in Russia and the former USSR.
If you are a researcher, journalist, filmmaker, or legal professional working on a case related to Soviet archives or Stalin-era political repression, you may request expert consultation or investigative assistance.
In addition to working with researchers and media professionals, I also assist individuals seeking to understand the history of their own families. Many families outside Russia continue to search for reliable information about relatives who were persecuted, imprisoned, or executed during the Stalin era. In such cases I can provide guidance on archival systems, explain how Soviet investigative files are structured, and help identify possible documentary sources related to a particular person or case.
You may contact me if you are trying to:
- Locate archival records related to a family member repressed in the USSR.
- Understand Soviet investigative files or execution records.
- Navigate Russian archival systems and access procedures.
- Obtain copies of archival documents when possible.
- Reconstruct the historical circumstances of a family case.
- Receive expert guidance from someone working directly with these archival systems inside Russia.
Full Description
For more than a decade I have been conducting an independent investigation into Soviet political repression, focusing on archival research, documentary reconstruction, and institutional analysis. This work has involved extensive engagement with Russian archives, legal institutions, and historical documentation related to Stalin-era state violence.
This work is part of the KARAGODIN® Investigation, an internationally recognized independent investigation into Soviet political repression. The project has been referenced by international media and preserved in the collections of the U.S. Library of Congress.
Through this experience I have developed practical expertise in navigating archival systems, interpreting Soviet bureaucratic records, reconstructing documentary chains, and understanding the institutional logic behind repression-era documentation.
I offer consultation and investigative assistance for researchers, journalists, documentary filmmakers, historians, legal teams, and institutions working on projects related to:
- Stalin-era repression in the USSR.
- Soviet archival documents.
- NKVD and security service records.
- Reconstruction of historical cases.
- Identification of individuals and bureaucratic chains of responsibility.
- Interpretation of Soviet investigative files and administrative records.
- Methodological questions related to archival investigations.
This consultation may include:
- Expert evaluation of a case or research question.
- Interpretation of archival documents.
- Methodological guidance for archival research.
- Assistance in locating relevant materials.
- Strategic advice on navigating Russian archival systems.
- Investigative insight based on practical experience.
In certain cases, deeper investigative participation or archival work inside Russia may also be possible, depending on the nature of the project.
Consultation Formats
Preliminary Expert Consultation
An initial analytical review of your case, research question, or documentary materials.
This includes:
- Review of the materials you provide.
- Evaluation of the historical and archival context.
- Preliminary assessment of research possibilities.
- Methodological guidance and recommendations.
At the conclusion of the consultation you will receive a written analytical response outlining the possible directions for further work.
Fee: $500 USD
Full Expert Analysis & Investigative Consultation
A deeper analytical and strategic consultation for complex research projects or investigative cases.
This may include:
- Detailed analysis of documentary materials.
- Reconstruction of historical or bureaucratic context.
- Strategic recommendations for archival research.
- Identification of investigative directions.
- Expert assessment of documentary evidence.
- Guidance on further investigative steps.
In some cases this may also include limited direct participation in investigative work.
Fee: starting from $5,000 depending on the scope of the project.
Project-based collaboration
Project-based collaboration may be arranged separately.
Contact
If you are unsure whether your case fits this consultation, you are welcome to contact me with a brief description of your situation.
If you would like to request a consultation, please contact me with a brief description of your case or research project.
Please include:
- a short description of your case
- the type of assistance you are seeking
- any relevant materials if available
All requests are reviewed personally.
All consultations are conducted personally and treated with strict professional confidentiality.