on ov ▁graduated ▁from ▁Moscow ▁Institute ▁of ▁Oriental ▁Studies , ▁the ▁Middle - E ast ▁department . ▁Then ▁he ▁taught ▁the ▁Afghan ▁language ▁( P as ht o ) ▁in ▁Moscow ▁State ▁University ▁and ▁simultaneously ▁studied ▁there ▁in ▁the ▁fac ulty ▁of ▁history . ▁ ▁Career ▁After ▁gain ing ▁a ▁degree ▁of ▁an ▁interpreter ▁in ▁the ▁University , ▁S emy on ov ▁had ▁diplom atic ▁business ▁in ▁East ▁Asia ▁countries , ▁continu ing ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁his ▁scientific ▁studies ▁in ▁Moscow ▁State ▁University ▁( special izing ▁in ▁Pers ian ▁history ▁and ▁politics ). ▁ ▁Since ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁he ▁started ▁to ▁try ▁his ▁hand ▁in ▁journal ism : ▁he ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁key ▁Soviet ▁newsp apers ▁and ▁mag az ines ▁of ▁that ▁time : ▁" O g oni ok ", ▁" P rav da ", ▁" Liter at urn aya ▁Gaz eta ", ▁" K oms om ol sk aya ▁P rav da ", ▁" S men a " ▁etc . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s – 1 9 7 0 s ▁S emy on ov ▁worked ▁abroad ▁a ▁lot ▁as ▁a ▁rep orter ▁of ▁the ▁said ▁ed itions ▁( in ▁France , ▁Spain , ▁Germany , ▁Cuba , ▁Japan , ▁the ▁USA , ▁Latin ▁America ). ▁His ▁journalist ▁activity ▁was ▁full ▁of ▁advent ures , ▁often ▁dangerous ▁ones ▁– ▁at ▁one ▁time ▁he ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁ta iga ▁with ▁t iger ▁hun ters , ▁then ▁at ▁a ▁polar ▁station , ▁and ▁then ▁he ▁was ▁at