Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Remains of the victims are still being discovered to this day.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has granted the FSB Academy an honorary title linked to Felix Dzerzhinsky, reviving its Soviet-era name.
In an official decree, authorities cited the “merits” of the academy’s personnel alongside Dzerzhinsky’s “outstanding contribution to ensuring national security” as justification for the change.
But who was Felix Dzerzhinsky?
The man behind the “Red Terror”
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Dzerzhinsky is widely known for founding the Cheka, the Bolshevik secret police, and directing the Red Terror campaign following the 1917 Revolution.
That period involved widespread arrests, torture, and executions targeting perceived enemies of the state.
The FSB Academy previously operated under this designation when it served as the KGB’s main higher education institution.
It is unclear how many lives the Red Terror claimed, but according to the Hudson Institute, approximately 200,000 people were killed over the course of four years.
Other estimates put the number of deaths between 200,000 and 400,000.
In 2010, UPI reported that a Russian archaeologist had uncovered the remains of 80 victims of the Red Terror, showing that the full scale of the campaign is still being uncovered.
Soviet legacy revived
The restoration of the name is being viewed as a symbolic endorsement of Soviet-era security traditions.
ISW says it signals a deliberate effort to highlight continuity between modern Russian institutions and their historical predecessors.
The think tank also notes that such gestures go beyond administrative decisions, reflecting broader ideological messaging from the Kremlin about state power and control.
Stalin-era policies coming back
Putin’s move aligns with a pattern of rhetoric among Russian officials that increasingly references Stalin-era policies and narratives. These include justifications for repression, pressure on political opposition, and greater state control over the economy.
The timing is also significant. Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine has coincided with intensified domestic measures aimed at consolidating authority and reinforcing loyalty within the population.
According to the ISW, these steps are intended to mobilize public support for the war effort while discouraging dissent, both within Russia and in occupied Ukrainian territories.
Sources: The Institute for the Study of War, the Hudson Institute, UPI
