"I open the archive and cry every time." 

Last week at Tomsk the city hall was demolished Chestnut up Memorial pillars bearing the names of victims of political repression. These are allegedly unauthorized constructions that required approval from the mayor's office.

They're still trying to hide this embarrassing chapter in Russian history from the public—and the story of the pillars isn't the only example. The "Return of Names" campaign is approaching, and authorities are also trying to ban it in Russia's regions.

NeMoskva spoke with Tomsk residents on the streets and asked how they felt about the actions of the mayor's office, whether their family members had been victims of the repressions, and how the memory of the innocent victims of Stalin's era should be preserved.

"Why put things like this all over the city? Especially since these are provocative times." 

"People need to remember how terrible and sad it all was, and to make sure it doesn't happen again."