Valery Dmitrievich Solovei (born August 19, 1960) is a Russian political scientist, historian, and former academic. He is known for his commentary on Russian internal politics and his former role as a professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO).
Solovei graduated from the Faculty of History at Moscow State University in 1982 and later earned a Doctorate in Historical Sciences. His academic work has focused on Russian nationalism, social movements, and the psychological aspects of political communication. He served as the head of the Public Relations Department at MGIMO from 2007 until 2019. In June 2019, Solovei resigned from his position, stating that the university administration had pressured him to leave due to his political activities and public statements.
Following his departure from academia, Solovei became an active public figure and political commentator, frequently appearing on independent media platforms and social media. He has authored several books, including Absolute Weapon: Fundamentals of Psychological War and Media Manipulation.
In recent years, Solovei has gained attention for making a series of controversial and unverified claims regarding the health of President Vladimir Putin and the internal stability of the Russian government. These assertions have been met with skepticism by many political analysts and journalists, as they often rely on unnamed sources and have not been corroborated by independent evidence.
In September 2022, the Russian Ministry of Justice designated Solovei as a "foreign agent," a legal status used by the Russian government to label individuals and organizations it claims receive foreign support or are under foreign influence.