The National Centre RUSSIA and the Union of Writers of Russia sign cooperation agreement and announce the II All-Russian Science Fiction Literary Award
Aide to the President of the Russian Federation and First Secretary of the Union of Writers of Russia Vladimir Medinsky and Director General of the National Centre RUSSIA Natalia Virtuozova signed a cooperation agreement. The ceremony took place on 6 October at the legendary Moscow Writers' Bookshop. The event also saw the announcement of the II All-Russian Science Fiction Literary Award, which will be presented as part of the III International Symposium "Inventing the Future".
The agreement between the Union of Writers of Russia and the National Centre RUSSIA establishes long-term cooperation aimed at developing Russian literature, promoting Russian literature and the science fiction genre, and supporting young talent, Russian authors and researchers.
"Science fiction writers have a special mindset, a special ability to dream and invent. The classics of Soviet science fiction, from Ivan Yefremov to the Strugatsky brothers, described things that did not exist and were impossible to imagine, but have now become reality. This is because writers did not simply invent things — they also anticipated the future and even helped bring it closer. We want to see more such literary visionaries, so that they can create more, come up with more ideas and thereby provide an impetus for new discoveries in science and technology. The National Centre RUSSIA and the Union of Writers of Russia wholeheartedly support everything related to scientific and technological progress, as well as young authors. After being assessed by our demanding jury, chaired by Sergei Lukyanenko, they will inspire today's scientists and engineers with their ideas," Vladimir Medinsky said.
According to the Director General of the National Centre RUSSIA, the cooperation agreement with the Union of Writers of Russia marks a new stage in their joint work. Natalia Virtuozova emphasised the importance of supporting authors who do more than simply tell stories about the future, as they also encourage readers to think about what it might look like, discover new possibilities offered by science and look beyond the familiar with greater confidence.
"Last year, together with the Union of Writers of Russia, we established the All-Russian Science Fiction Literary Award, which became a landmark event and a platform for discussing the future. We are honoured that this year Vladimir Rostislavovich Medinsky has become Chair of the Award's Board of Trustees. At his suggestion, the list of categories has been expanded to include a special category, "International Recognition", which will contribute both to the development of the genre around the world and to promoting Russian science fiction writers abroad. We are delighted to support those who introduce Russian science fiction to readers, help it find an audience in other countries and thereby strengthen international cultural dialogue. We look forward to announcing the results and invite everyone to the National Centre for the Award ceremony on 13 November," Natalia Virtuozova said.
The II All-Russian Science Fiction Literary Award ceremony will take place at the National Centre RUSSIA on 13 November as part of the III International Symposium "Inventing the Future". Sergei Lukyanenko, Chair of the jury, science fiction writer, screenwriter and member of the Board of the Union of Writers of Russia, spoke about the categories and details of the Award. According to him, the Award is open to literary works in the categories "Fiction", "Translation", "Children's and Young Adult Fiction", "Visual Image" and "International Recognition".
The jury — professional writers, critics and experts — nominated more than 120 works published in 2025 for the Award. Following the expert assessment, 39 works were included in the longlist for the main "Fiction" category. They include Alexander Zhuravsky's novel "Alternative"; Yulia Zonis's "Atlant and Demiurge. The Customs Union Church"; Maxim Lykov's "I Live in October"; writer Mei's "The Immortality Test"; Vadim Panov's "Side Effect"; Viktor Pelevin's "A SINISTRA"; Margarita Simonyan's "In the Beginning Was the Word – in the End There Will Be the Digit"; and others.
"Science fiction stands at the intersection of science, futurology and literary creativity. Lean too far in one direction and science fiction will lose its literary character. Lean too far in the other and it will lose its predictive value. We hope that this year's Award will feature both familiar names — well-known writers who have already received prizes and recognition from readers — and completely new ones: writers who are just entering the worlds of literature and science fiction and will leave their mark on them. And I hope their books will also appear on the shelves of the Writers' Bookshop on Kuznetsky Most," Sergei Lukyanenko said.
The shortlists in each category and the names of the 2026 Award winners will be announced on 13 November at the ceremony at the National Centre RUSSIA. Special prizes will also be presented by publishers Eksmo and AST-Azbuka, ANO "The Expert Institute for Social Research", and the Institute of Social Architecture, a separate division of the Presidential Platform "Russia — Land of Opportunity".
The All-Russian Science Fiction Literary Award was established in 2025 by the National Centre RUSSIA together with the Union of Writers of Russia. The project supports contemporary authors working in a genre with a rich tradition established by Alexander Belyaev, Ivan Yefremov and the Strugatsky brothers, introduces new names and helps explore the future of humanity, society and technology.
The announcement of the II All-Russian Science Fiction Literary Award winners is one of the key events of the III International Symposium "Inventing the Future", which will take place at the National Centre RUSSIA on 12–13 November 2026. Organised on the instructions of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the Symposium will bring together more than 7,000 government officials, scientists and researchers, heads of corporations and business alliances, representatives of the creative industries and civil society organisations, and young professionals from around the world. Registration is required to participate in the Symposium's events.
The first "Digital Solutions" IT Forum was held at the National Centre RUSSIA from 12 to 15 November 2025. It attracted more than 15,000 visitors.
