Fabrication of cases during the period of the «great terror»: the archival-investigative case of Petro Drozdenko

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to research and highlight the mechanisms of operation of the People’s Commissariats for Internal Affairs of the Soviet Union during Stalin’s «great terror» of 1937–1938, particularly the process of falsifying archival-investigative cases, even against citizens loyal to the regime. The main focus is on the analysis of archival-documentary sources that reveal the cynicism, lawlessness, and inhumanity of the Soviet repressive machine. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive analysis of archival materials. An interdisciplinary approach has been applied, including historical analysis, generalization, source studies methods, and elements of content analysis of official documents. The principles of historicism, systematic approach, and scientific objectivity have been adhered to. The scientific novelty of the study lies in highlighting the correlation between the accusations during the «great terror» and the political trends in the Soviet state during this historical period. It details the investigative interrogations of the arrested individuals, indicating their unnatural nature and indirectly proving the use of torture. Conclusions. The falsification of archival-investigative cases during the «great terror» was not an episodic phenomenon but a systematic mechanism of state repressive policy. Bodies of People’s Commissariats for Internal Affairs employed standard schemes for fabricating false accusations, including forced confessions, evidence fabrication, and the absence of an objective judicial review. Ideological loyalty, class origin, and high personal qualities could not protect individuals from the threat of repression. The archival-investigative case of P. Drozdenko is one of many examples of how Stalin’s paranoid regime saw «enemies» among all strata of Soviet society. At the same time, People’s Commissariats for Internal Affairs operatives exploited this paranoia to destroy people for rewards and financial gain. The conclusions of this study are particularly relevant in the context of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, where historical methods of repression are once again becoming an instrument of the Russian authoritarian regime’s struggle against the national identity of Ukrainians.