A monument has been erected in the Siberian city of Nizhnevartovsk to honor victims of the brutal purges from the 1930s to the 1950s, despite efforts by the Russian government to glorify Soviet dictator Josef Stalin and downplay the extent of Soviet-era political repression.
The memorial, long delayed and initially resisted, was funded by local authorities and stands as a reminder of a dark chapter in Soviet history -- one increasingly subject to historical revisionism.
The rehabilitation of Stalin has been a feature of the rule by President Vladimir Putin since the former KGB officer came to power nearly a quarter-century ago.
SEE ALSO: The Big Chill: Critics Say Kremlin Waging A War On IdeasIn the early years, Stalin was promoted as an "effective manager" who led the Soviet Union to victory over Nazi Germany.
But over time, the tight connection between Stalin and the war has been loosened, and Stalin and Stalinist imagery now appear in a much wider array of contexts -- from advertising to the arts.
Sources familiar with the project to build the new monument, which flies in the face of Putin's narrative, told RFE/RL on October 10 that the idea dates back to 2008, when the Nizhnevartovsk city administration held a competition to design it.
Despite initial momentum, the project stalled for years, with officials citing various logistical reasons.
First, city officials claimed the site was unavailable due to construction. Later, they allocated a remote location in an old part of the city, further delaying its completion.
Frustrated by the city's inaction, residents took matters into their own hands in 2015, raising funds to erect a simple slab monument near a school. However, this unofficial tribute was destroyed in the fall of 2023 by unknown individuals.
The long-awaited monument was finally erected with the assistance of former Khanty-Mansi Governor and current Federation Council member Natalya Komarova and after years of persistent advocacy by activists from the Istoki Pamyati (Origins of Memory) group.
An official unveiling is planned for October 30, which is observed as the Day of Remembrance of Victims of Political Repression in Russia, at a time when the condemnation of Stalin's crimes is being pushed aside by normalization of the era in the everyday lives of Russians.
SEE ALSO: From Chasing Rats To Blood Baths: How Putin's Childhood Shaped His LeadershipRecently, the Prosecutor-General’s Office announced plans to review past decisions on the rehabilitation of repression victims, raising concerns that historical accountability for Soviet atrocities may be undermined.
Moreover, in June, changes were made to the official Concept On Victims Of Political Repressions, eliminating references to the mass nature of Soviet-era purges and removing the call to commemorate their victims.
The shift in the official stance was highlighted by the Moscow city government's decision to cancel the 2024 "Return of Names" event, where citizens traditionally gather to read aloud the names of those who were killed or jailed during the repressions.
The cancellation was ostensibly due to a "sharp increase in COVID cases," but activists see it as part of the broader effort to suppress discussion of Soviet crimes.