In a wood on the edge of St Petersburg, they are reading out a list of names. Each name is a victim of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's Great Terror. In this part of Russia, there are thousands of names to be read — thousands of lives to remember on Russia's annual Remembrance Day for Victims of Political Repression. Buried in the Levashovo Wasteland are believed to be at least 20,000 people — possibly as many as 45,000 — who were denounced, shot, and disposed of in mass graves; individuals, as well as whole families destroyed in the dictator's purge in the 1930s. Above, nailed to the trunks of pine trees, are portraits of the executed. Standing here, one can feel the ghosts of Russia's past. But what of the present?
Today, Russian authorities speak less about Stalin's crimes against his people, preferring instead to portray the dictator as a victorious wartime leader. In recent years, a string of repressive laws has been adopted to punish dissent and silence criticism of the Kremlin and of Russia's war in Ukraine. Critics of the Kremlin might not be denounced as 'enemies of the people' like during Stalin's era, but increasingly they are being labeled as 'foreign agents.' The authorities claim that this labeling helps protect Russia from external threats.
In this environment, 18-year-old Diana Loginova, a music student and lead singer of the band Stoptime, finds herself facing charges for organizing a street concert that featured songs by exiled artists critical of the regime. Having already spent time in jail for her activities, she continues to advocate for the power of music to inspire and unite. As she faces further legal challenges, supporters rally around her cause, emphasizing the importance of standing against oppression. The situation paints a stark picture of civil society in modern Russia, where the echoes of the past resonate with the struggles of the present.
Today, Russian authorities speak less about Stalin's crimes against his people, preferring instead to portray the dictator as a victorious wartime leader. In recent years, a string of repressive laws has been adopted to punish dissent and silence criticism of the Kremlin and of Russia's war in Ukraine. Critics of the Kremlin might not be denounced as 'enemies of the people' like during Stalin's era, but increasingly they are being labeled as 'foreign agents.' The authorities claim that this labeling helps protect Russia from external threats.
In this environment, 18-year-old Diana Loginova, a music student and lead singer of the band Stoptime, finds herself facing charges for organizing a street concert that featured songs by exiled artists critical of the regime. Having already spent time in jail for her activities, she continues to advocate for the power of music to inspire and unite. As she faces further legal challenges, supporters rally around her cause, emphasizing the importance of standing against oppression. The situation paints a stark picture of civil society in modern Russia, where the echoes of the past resonate with the struggles of the present.
