“I thought Stalin was held in near universal regard throughout Russia. Is there underway a change in the political thinking?”

(facepalm). stalin was universally hated since khrushchev times, when part of the truth about repressions came out. this popularity among old people made somewhat of a comeback in 1990s, but it didn’t spread outside of the hungry retirees.

this conflict has absolutely nothing to do with it, thought.

although it is interesting that stalin, ehtnic ossetin, was born in georgian city gori, where he is still revered. what kind of democracy revers such a bloody dictator? can you imagine a revered statue to hilter in braunau am inn, austria?