Russian photographer Boris Kavashkin, chronicler of Soviet-era events, dies at 81
In short
Boris Kavashkin, a Russian photographer who covered the war in Afghanistan and the 1993 storming of the White House, has died at the age of 81, TASS reported. His son Anton Kavashkin told TASS that he died on 4 October of natural causes, according to RBC. Kommersant said Kavashkin spent around 40 years at TASS and took one of the best-known photographs of Andrei Sakharov, speaking at the first Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR.
Read the full story 1 min read
Boris Kavashkin, a Russian photographer whose career spanned Soviet and post-Soviet news coverage, has died at the age of 81, TASS reported. His son Anton Kavashkin told TASS that he died on 4 October of natural causes, according to RBC. The state agency's own report did not give a cause. [ 1 , 2 ]
Kommersant said Kavashkin was born in Moscow in October 1944 and began working as a photographer in 1967. He specialised in news and documentary photography for news agencies, working at TASS and at the Novosti press agency, and spent about 40 years at TASS, the newspaper said. [ 3 ]
His assignments included the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline, combat operations in Afghanistan, the period before the break-up of the USSR and the storming of the White House in 1993, Kommersant reported. RBC, in its headline, drew attention to the same two episodes — the fighting in Afghanistan and the storming of the White House — while TASS referred to him only as its veteran photographer. [ 2 , 3 ]
Kommersant also said Kavashkin took one of the most famous photographs of the Soviet theoretical physicist Andrei Sakharov, at the moment Sakharov spoke at the first Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR. [ 3 ]
The death was reported first by TASS on the evening of 4 October in a brief item giving his age, followed by longer accounts from RBC and Kommersant in the early hours of 5 October. Both of those outlets attributed the confirmation of the death to his son, who spoke to TASS. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
Kavashkin's archive documents several of the most widely photographed moments of late Soviet history, from the Baikal-Amur Mainline to the 1993 standoff in Moscow, and his death is reported by Russia's main state and business outlets alike. The documents give no indication of wider consequences beyond the loss of a veteran news photographer.
Key facts
- Photographer Boris Kavashkin died at the age of 81. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- RBC reported, citing his son Anton Kavashkin and TASS, that he died on 4 October of natural causes. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant said Kavashkin was born in Moscow in October 1944 and began his career as a photographer in 1967. [ 3 ]
- He worked for TASS and the Novosti press agency, spending about 40 years at TASS, according to Kommersant. [ 3 ]
- His work covered the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline, combat in Afghanistan, events before the break-up of the USSR and the 1993 storming of the White House. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Kommersant said he took one of the best-known photographs of physicist Andrei Sakharov speaking at the first Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The cause of death was given as natural causes. Only RBC states this, attributing it to the photographer's son via TASS; the other documents do not mention a cause.
- The place where Kavashkin died. The documents say he was born in Moscow but do not state where he died.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS publishes a short report that photographer and TASS veteran Boris Kavashkin has died at 81. [ 1 ]
- RBC reports, citing his son Anton Kavashkin via TASS, that he died on 4 October of natural causes, and highlights his Afghanistan and White House coverage. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant publishes an obituary with his biography, career and best-known photographs. [ 3 ]