Russian Publisher Closes LGBTQ+ YA Imprint Amidst Government Crackdown and Arrests

Russia’s largest book publisher, Eksmo, has closed its troubled young-adult imprint, Popcorn Books, which had become a key target in the Kremlin’s campaign against what it labels “LGBT extremism.”

On Tuesday, Eksmo informed the Vedomosti business newspaper that the Popcorn Books brand has come to be linked to a «broader context» than just its book publications.

This comment seems to allude to the raids and arrests in May 2025 involving several Eksmo staff members who were suspected of breaching Russia’s laws against LGBTQ+ “propaganda” and “extremism.”

Currently, three senior officials from Popcorn Books, along with another Eksmo division, Individuum, are under house arrest as the investigation continues. They face severe charges related to the organization of an “extremist organization,” which could result in prison sentences of up to 10 years.

In late 2023, Russia’s Supreme Court labeled the so-called “international LGBT movement” as an extremist group, effectively making any public expressions of LGBTQ+ identities and advocacy illegal.

“This issue hampers the publisher’s potential for further growth,” Eksmo stated to Vedomosti, without referring to the arrests directly.

Eksmo secured a majority interest in Popcorn Books in 2023 after the success of its queer-themed bestseller “Summer in a Pioneer Tie” in 2021, which tells the story of a romance between a teenage pioneer and a camp counselor during a Soviet summer camp.

Following the arrests in 2025, the parent company seemingly distanced itself from the imprint.

Popcorn Books announced its closure in a heartfelt message on Tuesday, expressing gratitude to readers for their unwavering support during difficult times: “Even when we struggled to carry on, you were our foundation: humane, sincere, and receptive to diverse voices and experiences,” the imprint shared on Telegram.

Additionally, the publisher referenced the situation with its detained top managers, stating, “We think of our colleagues, with whom we have worked for many years, and are deeply concerned for their well-being.”