MARTINA CARR: I would also like to ask you another question – I have been working with Russian historians for the last 13 years and it seems to be increasingly more difficult to get cooperation from the Russian authorities, to get access to the Russian archives, it feels as if the country is closing in again. How would you explain this situation?

KIRILL ANDERSON: Yes, it’s happening, but not in all archives and not in relation to all the documents.  I have a feeling that our bureaucracy is responsible for it. There is a lot of corruption at the moment here in Russia – so we have created a lot of bureaucracy to control and fight against it.

MARTINA CARR: Don’t you think there is actually a desire to cover up some information?

KIRILL ANDERSON: I don’t think so. I really think our bureaucracy is growing, and as it is growing it’s power to control is growing as well.