A popular quote from the response of Vladimir Vysotsky to Western journalists is often used as a patriotic argument: they say that you can’t take out the CROs from the hut, contact the ECHR and in any way in any way to pour water to the mill of foreign opponents of the Russian authorities. We checked whether Vladimir Semenovich said this.

This is how this story is given on the information instagram portal Kremlin_russian:

“Once Vladimir Vysotsky was asked by Western journalists about his attitude to the power of the USSR. He replied: "I have claims to the authorities of my country, but I will not decide them with you." This question was not asked for him anymore. ”

The phrase has become popular demotivator In social networks. In addition, it can be found in the publications of the TV channel "World", Resources"Rambler","Tsargrad TV","Sight" Km.ru, "Russian bridge". It was given by the director of the Institute of Russian Abroad Sergey Panteleev In your interview.

The earliest references to quotes on the Internet belong to May 2015. A little strange for a bright remark from the lips of a cult personality, isn't it? At the same time, the phrase, obviously, very quickly gained popularity, because already in July it fell into the article "Switch and denunciation: ethical analysis"Published in the International Scientific Journal" Symbol of Science ". In the same 2015, she was dedicated to a whole paragraph in work "The dynamics of the precedent world of a creative person in the discourse of the new media: the setting of the problem", Published in the" Siberian Philological Journal ":

“So, Vysotsky’s answer to the question of Western journalists about his attitude to the Soviet authorities (“ I have claims to the authorities of my country, but I will not decide and discuss them with you ”) became an argument in many modern political Internet dissectes. For example, Vysotsky as the moral ideal of the opposition is opposed by A. Navalny, publishing on one page the above words of the poet and The statement of our contemporary: "The opposition has the right to contact other states to combat the tyrannical regime." In this post, the user's communicative intention is realized exclusively at the implicit level of the text due to the “duel” of the quotes that their authors are behind. Denial by the user of the political position and, probably, the personality of A. Navalny is expressed by appeal to the poet’s unconditional authority, perceived in various layers of society as a fighter for freedom. ”

As you can see, only when appearing on the network, “Vysotsky’s quote” immediately took on the role that she plays today: educational, with a certain moral attitude. However, it is still not clear whether it existed in pre -Internet times. There is nothing similar in accessible print literature. Including foreign languages.

At the same time on one Internet pagewhere the quote under consideration is submitted to the epigraph, the following passage is present at a certain American interview of Vysotsky:

“The interview is quite interesting, causing associations with a fight of fencers. The host D. Ratter ... attacks, raises sharp questions, trying to get at least some anti-Soviet answers from Vysotsky. Vysotsky is defended and answers so that even the most retreating servant from the KGB would not find what to blame him. ”

The aforementioned interview Vysotsky gave in July 1976 in New York to the journalist of the CBS television channel Dan Rutter. It took the air much later, on February 20, 1977. From text Conversations shows that the American journalist really asked the Soviet poet rather sharp, provocative questions. But is there any one among Vysotsky’s answers, similar to our quote? There are no really similar. Light doubts can be caused only by the next fragment:

“Dan Ratter: Maybe this is not so, but, it seems to me, some in the USSR are worried about whether you will come back. I'm not mistaken?

Vladimir Vysotsky: Why?! Well, what are you! I have been leaving for the fourth or fifth time and always return. It's funny! If I were a person who is afraid to let out from the country, it would be a completely different interview. I calmly sit in front of you, calmly answer your questions. I love my country and do not want to harm it. And I will never cause.

In fact, the general between two quotes is only an unwillingness to harm the country: in one case - expressed in implicit way, in the other - explicitly, but most likely, regarding not an interview, but the prospects to become a defector. And nothing about the claims. It is possible that this fragment (and the general mood around the corresponding interview with Vysotsky) and served as a source of someone's imagination. However, today there is not a single serious (or at least enough old) source that would confirm that Vladimir Semenovich Vysotsky has ever said something similar.