Valeri Kvaratskhelia, host of the program “Oqros Kveta”(Golden Ratio) on Obieqtivi TV, to whom the “Myth Detector” has awarded the title of Russian Rupor in 2017 for airing the maximum number of reports made by Russian TV channels, has now made a broadcast praising Stalin based on Russian ОБКОМ ТВ(Obkom TV).
On December 30, 2017, Obieqtivi TV aired a story prepared by Obkom TV dedicated to the celebration of Stalin’s 153rd anniversary, presenting him as leading democrat:
Anchor of Obkom TV: “Joseph Besarionnovich overtook the whole world when it came to democratic matters. Already from 1936, the Soviet Union held direct general elections. Moreover, he called for the elections to be even more equal and more confidential… Stalin loved people and feared the enemies. Our enemies are still afraid of Stalin and as long as we acknowledge that part of his soul still lives within us, up till we are proud of our past and believe in our strength, we shall not be defeated.”
The sentiments transmitted by OBKOM TV, were also shared by the presenter of “Obieqtivi TV” Valeri Kvaratskhelia, who wants to promote the ideas of Stalin as an alternative to the reality created after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The “Myth Detector” has repeatedly written about Stalin’s policies of repression. We offer you a review of the key facts about suppressive strategies used by Stalin during his rule of the USSR and the human sacrifice that resulted from these methods:
- According to the data released by Russian human rights center Memorial, over 7-8 million people were arrested and over 1.5 million shot throughout the Soviet Union in 1936-1938. Most charges were fabricated.
- About 63 000 people were arrested in Georgia in 1937-1938 with 20 000 being shot. The Soviet regime mainly struggled against its enemies, or those, whom it deemed “enemies.” People were persecuted based on their social origin or activities. Among them were the nobility, clergy, wealthy merchants, public officials and militaries of Russian Empire and independent Georgia, as well as their descendants. A lot of innocent people fell victims to mass repressions.
- During the winters of 1932-1933, Stalin’s policy of the Great Famine in Ukraine (Golodomor), resulted in the loss of 7 to 10 millions of innocent lives, according to data put together by the UN.
- According to the historical document of the US Central Intelligence Agency archives, the events of Katyn are a mass murder of political nature. The Red Army, took over eastern Poland in 1939 and arrested Polish officers, soldiers and civilians. Several months later, in April-May of 1940, they were brought out of military camps and killed in great numbers in three places, the most famous among which is Katyn where the corpses were burned, then buried.
- As a result of Stalin’s anti-religious policy between 1921-1953, around 1,305 religious buildings were shut down or utilized for other purposes. Throughout this period, around 3,407 members of clergy were purged.
- By 1923 the number of churches that were closed was: 48 in Tbilisi, 148 in Senaki 148, 75 in Zugdidi, 130 in Ozurgeti, 5 in City of Poti, 117 in Rachinsky, 78 in Lechkhumi, 5 in Abkhazia, 8 in Adjara, 160 in Kutaisi, 147 in Shorapani, 60 in so called South Ossetia, 78 in Gori, 5 in Borchalo, 5 in Akhaltsikhe, 1 in Akhalkalaki, 3 in Dusheti, 73 in Sighnaghi, 65 in Telavi, and 1 in Tianeti. A decree in 1930’s spoke about removing the church-bells and turning into scrap.
|
Evoking Soviet nostalgia as a method of propaganda |
|---|
|
Triggering Soviet nostalgia and creation of distorted perceptions about the Soviet Union by the way of historical fact falsification is one of the methods of Russian propaganda that is especially active in countries of the former USSR, including Georgia. Part of the same method is to swipe under the rug the crimes committed by the Soviet regime and discuss only economic and social reforms pursued by the Soviet totalitarian regime. |
Prepared by Sopho Gelava
