Prosecutor who Always Obeyed Kremlin Orders Gets Statue in Novosibirsk

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Dec. 13 – Roman Rudenko, the longest-serving prosecutor general in the history of the USSR who is remembered for his involvement in the Great Terror, for his work as a prosecutor at Nuremberg, an unmasker of Stalinists and rehabilitator of their victims, and a persecutor of dissidents, now has a statue in his honor in Novosibirsk.

            In short, he is being honored as someone who obeyed whatever orders came from those in the Kremlin, the perfect symbol of the message the Putin regime wants to send to the Russian people that the state is always right and the people must always obey (sibreal.org/a/v-novosibirske-prokuratura-hochet-postavit-pamyatnik-uchastniku-repressiy/31597616.html).

            The Arts Council in Novosibirsk rejected the idea, but prosecutors went ahead anyway, stressing Rudenko’s unwavering support for the state. Many in that city are unhappy, however, because they say putting the statue on public land carries with it the suggestion of public approval (sibreal.org/a/zaschita-chistoty-natsii-tak-nazval-stalinskie-repressii-deputat-edinoross/31605600.html).

            Of course, that is exactly the message those behind this statue want to be sent. Konstantin Golodyayev, an expert for the Arts Council, acknowledges Rudenko “signed death sentences of hundreds of his compatriots (if not more) and you can’t ignore that. But from another point of view, for some officials, he is a model of honest service to the government whatever that government was.”

            “One day, he shot people on Beriya’s orders,” Golodyayev says. “Then he shot Beriya and his accomplices, and then he fulfilled orders to repress” dissidents. In short, he did what was necessary – or at least required by the state machine.