The actual Stalin's killcount is 642 980 people who were executed in 1921-1953 period for counter-revolutionary activity. 2,4 million of people were imprisoned in the same period. 765 thousands were sent to colony settlements. By the way peak amount of prisoners in the GULAG system and prisons was 2 million 760 thousands in 1950 or 1546 prisoners for every 100 thousands people.



We also have mortality rates amongst the GULAG prisoners. Peaks were in 1933 (almost 16% of 420 thousand prisoners died in this year), in 1942-43 (20% died each year or 300 thousands total for both). For other years the average mortality was about 2-3% (6-8% for 1938, 1941, 1944 and 1945). Regular prisoners were in better conditions (10-11% peak for the same 1942-43 and 1-3% for the rest of the years). 2-3% death rate was avearage even for entire USSR at the time and modern Russia for example have 1-1.3% death rate. So it can be argued that all people who died in prisons above 2-3% early is the result of Stalin's policies (but I still tend to exclude WW2 period because death rate skyrocketed for everyone). So deaths among the GULAG prisoners would amount to another 100-150 thousands to the tally. I have no mortality numbers for colony settlers but we know their total amount (765 thousands) and even if we assume that total 20% of them died as the result of Stalin's policy it would be another 150 thousands.



So total deathcount to the Stalin's political repressions is about 1 million people. Which is fucking lot.



Let's look at the famine issue. It is mostly common referred as Ukrainian Holodomor. Again demographics. Population of Ukraine in 1926 is 29 million people and 37 million in 1959. So 30% popualtion growth in 30 years for a region which was entirelyengulfed by the most destructive war in the history of mankind. By the way population of Ukraine decreased by 7 million people since 1989 (to 45 from 52 million) even without recent events. Ukrainian demographical losses from the famine is somewhere between 2,1 million and 4,5 million people (the number includes about 1-1,5 million people who never born as the result of the famine).



So let's add another 2 million to Stalin's death tally. It would be 3 million total domestic deaths.