Vologda Honors Ivan the Terrible with Towering New Statue Amid Controversy

In the northwestern Russian city of Vologda, a 9-meter statue of Tsar Ivan IV, more commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, has been erected, as reported by the Kommersant business daily on Monday.

The statue, situated on Kremlevskaya Ploshchad close to the Vologda Kremlin, is set for its official unveiling on Tuesday, coinciding with Russia’s National Unity Day celebrations.

This bronze monument was crafted by sculptor Mikhail Krasilnikov, who is also known for his 8-meter statue of Soviet leader Josef Stalin located in Velikiye Luki in the Pskov region.

The financial details regarding this project have yet to be revealed.

The idea for the statue originated from Vologda region Governor Georgy Filimonov, who characterizes Ivan the Terrible as a “cultural and symbolic figure of Vologda.”

Ivan IV was responsible for the construction of several key landmarks in the city, including the St. Sophia Cathedral and the Vologda Kremlin, and he once contemplated making Vologda the capital of his own domain during his oprichnina policy. This regime involved members of the tsar’s personal guard seizing property for the state and executing widespread repressions.

The Great Russian Encyclopedia describes the oprichnina as a time when “autocratic power manifested as a form of terrorist despotism.”

Nonetheless, Filimonov commended Ivan the Terrible as an “expander of Russian territories” and a “symbol of the Russian world.”

He remarked, “The Kazan Khanate and the Astrakhan Khanate represent Orthodox missionary efforts, embodying the Russian world — dynamic, somewhat severe, and, in a positive way, an aggressive advance,” referring to the tsar as a “formidable warrior, autocrat, and conqueror.”

Filimonov had previously supported the installation of a statue of Stalin, which was inaugurated last year, explaining that it was a response to “public demand.” He highlighted that Stalin had lived in exile in Vologda for several months in the early 20th century.

In Filimonov’s office, the reception area features portraits of Stalin, Lenin, NKVD leader Lavrenty Beria, and Cheka founder Felix Dzerzhinsky, along with a painting that shows the governor shaking hands with Stalin.