They refer to Stalin's purges of 1936-1938, where many people were randomly killed and assassinated and publicly executed for many things that include collaboration with Germany, the UK, plotting to assassinate Stalin, and other things.
Most of the confessions were forced on the victims, like, they were forced to lie by the Russian secret police, and, as you read in Animal Farm, all of the animals lied when they "confessed".
So basically, the Confessions refer to Stalin's great purges.
The ribbons in Animal Farm represent the "badge of slavery", which means if the animal works hard he or she is rewarded with a ribbon, and is expected to do work better on the farm.
The animals in "Animal Farm" represent different groups of people and political ideologies in society.
Mollie represents the bourgeoisie or upper class in Animal Farm.
russia
nothing
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Animal farm the book represents the Russian 1917 revolution. The animals represent russians. The farm represents Russia.
Vladimir Lenin.
The Russian Revolution
Leon Trotsky
police
he was a dunk