[4] From the 1920s to 1950s, under Stalin's rule in the Soviet Union, an estimated 750,000 people were executed, in addition to the millions of victims who died as a result of famine, labor camp conditions and other atrocities committed by the government.

[2] After meeting with the country's Human Rights and Civil Society Council,[4] Putin stated on October 30, 2017 during the opening ceremony that the tragedy must not be forgotten or justified, as "an unequivocal and clear assessment of the repression will help to prevent it being repeated".

[2] The unveiling of the monument was immediately followed by controversy, as some dissidents argued that the Wall of Grief is a symbol of "hypocrisy", and that the Russian government's recent activities are no different from the political repressions they claim to oppose.

[2][4] Some 40 critics and dissidents, including Alexander Podrabinek, Pavel Litvinov, Vladimir Bukovsky and Mustafa Dzhemilev, published a petition accusing the government of "trying to whitewash the present".

[2] Elena B. Zhemkova, chief operating officer of Memorial, an organization which archives records of repressed people, said that having the monument introduced by the state leadership symbolizes the country's recognition of terror and murder.