I’m Joe, a British writer and journalist generally covering the former Soviet Union, but perennially curious about other topics. My work has appeared in The Financial Times, Nikkei Asia, The Diplomat, The Times of Central Asia, Riddle Russia, and Vlast.

These are exciting times as my travel book, Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through The Former USSR will be published by Elliot & Thompson in Spring 2026. Stay tuned for updates!

You can find me on Instagram and X — @joelucbarnes.

For anything official, you can get in touch with my lovely agent, Tom Cull – https://cullandco.com/