Russia is converting the Gulag History Museum in Moscow into a new exhibition documenting Nazi crimes against the Soviet Union during World War II, officials said Friday.  

"The new museum will feature an exhibition covering all stages of Nazi war crimes during the Great Patriotic War," Moscow's city government said in a statement, using the official Russian name for World War II.

It will also document "biological weapons testing on Soviet citizens by the Japanese," as well as showcase the Red Army's victories, it added.

The Gulag History Museum was founded in 2001, but authorities closed it in November 2024, citing "fire safety violations."

Millions imprisoned in the Gulag

Until its closure, the museum commemorated the millions of people who were imprisoned in the Gulag — which was a vast network of forced labor camps across the country between 1918 and 1956.

Millions of alleged traitors and enemies of the state were sent there, many to their deaths during Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's rule.

The museum was one of the last institutions dedicated to documenting Soviet-era political repression in Russia.

It contained thousands of artefacts from Gulag victims, including letters and personal belongings.

The museum's closure was widely viewed as part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's clampdown on institutions documenting Soviet-era human rights violations.

Critics slam the Kremlin of attempting to rehabilitate the Soviet Union's legacy, by downplaying its human rights abuses while championing its role as a victor during World War II to foster patriotism.

Edited by: Kieran Burke