Russian writer Government engaged in unusual venture (8)
I believe the answer is:
turgenev
'russian writer' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'government engaged in unusual venture' is the wordplay.
'government' becomes 'g'.
'engaged in' indicates putting letters inside.
'unusual' indicates an anagram.
'venture' is an anagram of 'turenev'.
'g' put within 'turenev' is 'TURGENEV'.
(Other definitions for turgenev that I've seen before include "Ivan -------- (1818-1883), writer about Russian life as in Fathers and Sons" , "River at Stratford" , "Dramatist" , "Ivan -, Russian novelist (Fathers and Sons)" , "Russian author (Fathers and Sons, Virgin Soil)" .)