He was sentenced to death in USSR, but died in Jervis Bay many years later

Pyotr Patrushev in 2010

Pyotr Patrushev in 2010 Source: Supplied

One of the most compelling stories aired by SBS Russian was one of writer Pyotr Patrushev (1942 - 28 March 2016), who escaped the Soviet Union by swimming to Turkey across the Black Sea border in 1962. Later he became a broadcaster, journalist, conference interpreter and translator and worked for the BBC in London and Radio Liberty in Munich . As a top level Russian translator and interpreter he was a member of the International Association of Conference Interpreters and Australian NAATI. Pyotr Patrushev interpreted for Russian and Australian Heads of State, Prime Ministers, Members of the Cabinet etc. He became a great friend of our program and the subject of the two interviews, later combined into this podcast, was mainly based on his book Sentenced to Death , published in English and in Russian. Pyotr also wrote Project Nirvana: How the Cold War Was Won and The Transcendent Ape, published posthumously Until his death , Pyotr Patrushev lived in Jervis Bay in the NSW with his wife and son


Pyotr Patrushev
Source: Supplied
Pyotr Patrushev interpreting for John Howard and Vladimir Putin in Sydney 7 September 2007
Pyotr Patrushev interpreting for John Howard and Vladimir Putin in Sydney 7 September 2007 Source: Supplied
Patrushev CD
Source: SBS



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He was sentenced to death in USSR, but died in Jervis Bay many years later | SBS Russian