Putting the Romanovs to Rest

Ten years ago, Russia’s Investigative Committee reopened the investigation into the 1918 murder of Tsar Nicholas II and his family at the insistence of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). Federal investigators exhumed the bodies of the Romanovs, the Russian Empire’s last ruling family, and carried out additional DNA testing to confirm the authenticity of their remains. And while the investigation concluded that they were genuine, the Orthodox Church leadership has yet to recognize the results. In an article for Meduza, historian Alexey Uvarov recounts the circumstances surrounding the Romanov family’s execution and the recovery of their remains, and explains how radical “Tsar-worshippers” have kept the authenticity dispute alive to this day. Read Full Article »