The book *The Scale of Atrocities* took two years to write. In 2006, the texts were posted online on the platform of the art collective "Chto Delat?" ("What Is to Be Done?"), curated by D. Vilensky. The poems faced harsh criticism from professional literary figures, and the author himself was branded a "gopnik" (a derogatory term for a rough, uncultured street youth)—with critics asking, "Is this really an example of art that is not only 'left-wing' but even remotely 'sane'?" The book’s publication coincides with the release of Ilyushkin’s first feature film, *Waves*.