Russia opens Katyn massacre archive

Article reports that Russian state archives have released documents on the 28 April 2010 detailing the Soviet massacre of thousands of Polish prisoners, in a sign the Kremlin is reaching out to Warsaw following the death of the country’s president and other leaders in a plane crash close to Katyn on the 10 April 2010, the site of the 1940 massacre.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s president, ordered the publication of the documents, which were already declassified, and promised the Kremlin would finally make public documents that it had refused to hand over to Poland.

Analysts said Mr Medvedev’s gesture was an important step for Russia resetting relations with Poland and demystifying the cult of Stalin.

ESO: Background information: Russia is in denial as it rewrites Katyn history http://www.europeansources.info/record/russia-is-in-denial-as-it-rewrites-katyn-history/

ESO: Background information: Polish president killed in plane crash http://www.europeansources.info/record/plane-crashes-in-smolensk-killing-polish-president-and-95-others/

BBC News, 28.4.10: Russia publishes Katyn massacre archives http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8648275.stm

Deutsche Welle, 28.4.10: Russia opens Katyn archives to general public for the first time http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5514718,00.html

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