European States Criticize Removal of Stalin Victims Memorial
The removal of a memorial to victims of Stalinist repression in Tomsk, Siberia, has drawn criticism from several European countries. Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania accused Russia of trying to suppress the memory of Soviet-era crimes and called for the restoration of the memorial site.
The complex stood on the site of a suspected mass grave of victims of the Soviet NKVD secret police. Authorities initially justified its removal by citing security concerns, but later withdrew that explanation.
Moscow rejected the criticism and pointed to the removal of Soviet memorials in the Baltic states. Russian diplomats described those actions as “barbaric acts” and said Moscow would respond.
The dispute highlights deep divisions over the interpretation of history. Russia emphasizes the role of the Red Army in defeating Nazism, while several eastern European countries see it more as an instrument of the subsequent Soviet occupation.
The case also fits into a broader pattern of actions by the Russian authorities, including labeling the Memorial organization as extremist and making changes to museums. Critics say these steps reflect an effort to reshape historical memory.