Volkov and the Wizard of OZ

[West Research]

A few years ago, I found out about a very popular children's
book in Russia called 'The Wizard from the Emerald City',
written by Alexander Volkov.

This and a series of other books by the same author appear
to be word-for-word translations of works by Frank L. Baum,
written nearly a century ago. Yet Russians I have spoken
with believed these were original Russian stories. I have
been told that they were the most popular children's stories
for a generation of Russians.

Does anyone know if Volkov's works are actually published as
translations, or as his original works? Has this question
ever been addressed in media such as Literaturnaya Gazeta?

Brenden West