WASHINGTON POST: Why did Putin build a monument to victims of Soviet repression?

Description

Something surprising happened on Oct. 30. Since the 1970s, Russian dissidents have marked the date as an annual commemoration of victims of Soviet-era repressions. Although it was adopted as a state holiday in 1991, state officials usually leave the organization of the commemorations to NGOs such as Memorial, which is dedicated to uncovering and publicizing the stories of the victims of Soviet terror.