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Bust of Stalin ruled illegal and likely to be torn down

By The Siberian Times reporter
15 September 2016

Statue to Soviet dictator erected close to proposed memorial to his victims of political repression is labelled 'blasphemy’.

'The bust of Stalin that was erected today has been deemed illegal.' Picture: Denis Khanzhin

A row has erupted over the Stalin bust in the  city of Surgut where many residents are the descendants of victims of political repression in Soviet times. Yekaterina Shvidkaya, spokeswoman for the Surgut administration, said: 'The bust of Stalin that was erected today has been deemed illegal. 

'A commission... has approved a place nearby for installing a monument to the repressed and the funds are being collected.' She predicted the bust close to the Ob River 'will be removed'.

Another group applied in May to erect a bust to the USSR's wartime leader. 

Stalin bust


Stalin bust

'Erecting the monument here is blasphemy.' Pictures: Denis Khanzhin

A decision was taken that the dispute should be solved by a public council due to be set up after elections to the State Duma - Russia's lower house of parliament - on 18 September. 

Despite this, activists created their own council that decided in favour of putting up the statue.

Pavel Akimov, who initiated the installation of a monument to former political prisoners, condemned the plans to build a Stalin statue nearby.

'The tears of those people who had been sent here have not dried yet,' he said, according to TASS. 'Some 9,000 people were deported in 1932 - that is half of this community's citizens. Erecting the monument here is blasphemy.'

Stalin bust


Stalin bust


Stalin bust

activists created their own council that decided in favour of putting up the statue. Pictures: Denis Khanzhin, URA.ru

The administration of Surgut, in the Khanty-Mansi autonomous region, said tensions flared over proposed installation of the monument due to the historic memories of the local citizens. 

'Political prisoners were deported here, there was a whole village with people in exile,' said a local official. 'Now their relatives live in Surgut and, of course, they have a very negative assessment of the situation.'

Surgut was a key location in Stalin's gulag forced-labour-camp system, in which hundreds of thousands of Soviet citizens served prison terms after politically-motivated sentences.

Surgut was a key location in Stalin's gulag forced-labour-camp system, in which hundreds of thousands of Soviet citizens served prison terms. Picture: The Siberian Times

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Comments (4)

There are many Americans who should not be celebrated either and I agree with everyone who is standing up for the innocent souls whose tears will never dry up until we cease to celebrate the criminals, all over the world.
Pamela Tetarenko, League City, USA
18/09/2016 02:58
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Hei Густав Карлович Ма́ннергейм, Kittos for mentioning Marshal Gustaf Mannerheim. He was a very interesting military humanitarian. I realize that may sound like a contradiction but people with military histories can also be humanitarians who tried (and try) very hard to prevent war. The history of Finland and the relationships across Europe, Russia, Asia and North America are far more complex and intertwined than gets taught in today's schools. I hope that changes and kittos again for helping to educate all of us.
Pamela Tetarenko, League City, USA
19/09/2016 04:10
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At the same time much less controversial figure, marshal Gustaf Mannerheim of Finland's memorial plaque on a house facade in St.Petersburg has recently received a much greater stir by some powerful shadow figures despite Mannerheims over decade long honorable duty in the Imperial Russian Army until 1917 when the new Bolsheviks released him, shame on those brainwashed narrow minded figures for trying to stain Mannerheim in order to saw a complete split between Russia and West.

Anyone interested should have a look into Mannerheim as he has a very interesting background and history in Russia from taking part in the Russo-Japanese war and traveling through many parts of central Asia etc., there are several documentaries also on Youtube.
Густав Карлович Ма́ннергейм, With love from Finland
18/09/2016 09:56
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State Duma elections are already fixed in favour of the present, "Dictator". Putin said "quote" "Falsehood never gets through". Funny that; since he is the great creator of "Falsehood"!
Jaker, Dundalk
17/09/2016 02:12
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