Stories from Tomsk · Russia

Memorial stones dedicated to Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, and Estonia are being removed in Tomsk, according to reports. Similar removals of Ukrainian memorial stones occurred at the Levishov training ground near Saint Petersburg.

Sixteen homes were destroyed in the Tomsk region of southern Siberia due to high winds.

A museum in Tomsk remains closed to the public despite continuing its institutional operations and paying staff. The closure followed reports of potential issues in early 2024. Officials cited fire safety concerns as the formal reason for the restriction on visits. The museum's projects and staff salaries have reportedly continued during the closure. The source stated the museum remains an active institution with ongoing projects and staff salaries being paid. The closure is described as a formal measure that could be applied to any building in Russia. Authorities in Tomsk are reportedly planning to close certain buildings, including the Gulag History Museum, to mitigate public outcry. The move is described as a way to redistribute memory sites, specifically regarding the genocide of the Lytsky people during the occupation of territories between 1941 and 1944.

The concept of 'Never Again' in memory museums regarding the Gulag and historical repression has faced devaluation since the 2022 full-scale invasion. While some projects were suspended, new expositions were opened in 2023 through a memory fund established by the Gulag Museum.

Russian authorities are removing memorial stones dedicated to Lithuanians, Poles, and Flakstons in the Tomsk region. The report notes previous instances where Ukrainian memorials were removed at the Levashovo cemetery near Saint Petersburg. There are concerns that Russian authorities may continue to dismantle other sites, including Polish crosses and memorials established during the Siberian exile periods. The Museum of Memory Regulation has been liquidated after being recognized as an extremist organization. The source noted that the memory association and fund no longer exist, and there is uncertainty regarding whether original museum contents will be repurposed. The director of the NKVD prison in Tomsk is reportedly a former FSB officer. Memorial stones dedicated to Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, and Estonia are being removed in Tomsk.

Andrei Lugovoy, a State Duma deputy and FSB officer, has called for an investigation into the 'Sel' Soviet stone for extremism. The monument was reportedly moved to a museum dedicated to the genocide of the Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War. This call suggests a potential return of Soviet-era symbolism in Russia. FSB speaker and deputy Andrey Lugovoy has called for an investigation into a monument dedicated to victims of Bolshevik terror in Tomsk. The monument has already been dismantled following the designation of the Memorial society as an extremist organization. The move follows political pressure regarding anti-communist sentiments in the region.