Russia's National Library Opens Closed Vault for 'Destructive Literature'

The Russian State Library (RSL), also known as the Lenin Library, has for several months maintained a restricted storage facility described as a repository for "destructive literature." According to a report by the Russian business daily Kommersant, whose correspondent toured the site, access is tightly controlled: only intelligence service employees may enter freely, while scholars must first pass a separate interview conducted by the RSL before being granted entry.

Five sections

The facility is organized into five categories: the ideology of what is described as the "ruling Ukrainian elite," Ukrainian nationalism, works by foreign authors on the "Ukrainian-Russian conflict," children's literature, and books attributed to "modern Ukrainian nationalists."

Among the Ukrainian-language books the Kommersant correspondent observed on display were titles by Lucy and Stephen Hawking about a boy named George's adventures — works that are sold freely in Russian translation within Russia. Also present was Martin Gilbert's biography of Winston Churchill, likewise legally available in Russian translation. The collection additionally includes a Ukrainian edition of K. O'Neill's graphic novel about a relationship between two princesses; other works by the same author remain freely sold in Russian translation.

Decorations inside the facility

The space features a quote from President Vladimir Putin linking the distortion of history and erosion of values to the destabilization of states, as well as a statement from Investigative Committee head Alexander Bastrykin claiming that Ukrainian schoolchildren are taken to lay flowers at the graves of Nazi collaborators. On display alongside these are a Korsar MZ bulletproof vest and dog tags belonging to Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers.

The report does not specify when the repository was established or how many books it holds in total.