Kremlin is getting ready for Lenin’s burial

"But of course, this is not a matter of just two or three months," the news agency quoted anonymous Kremlin official as saying.

The New York Times wrote that "when Putin proposed to reinstate the musicof the old Soviet anthem as the Russian national hymn, last month-newlyrics now provided-some leading political reformers, like Anatoly Chubais,criticized Mr Putin’s embrace of Soviet symbolizm and called on him to buryLenin once and for all."

"But where such a call might have once set off a political tempest amongCommunists, nationalists, reformers and Soviet hangers-on, this winter itprovoked little reaction," the paper wrote.

Some analysts said that issue concerned an attempt by the Kremlin to putpressure on the "opposition" in connection with making some more importantdecision in the future.

"To all appearances, another balancing measure, following the adoption ofthe anthem on the Soviet music, aimed to unite the society, is beingprepared in Russia," wrote Pravda.ru, a resurrected internet versionlaunched by dissident Viktor Linnik, the former editor of original Pravda.

"Nothing is known about Kremlin’s plans on burial of Lenin’s body," thepaper said. " But it’s clear that nothing will be done during nearest twoor three months. But the mechanizm is obviously set going."

One of the most potent remaining emblems of the former Soviet Union,Lenin’s body attracted renewed attention in the wake of Russianparliamentary adoption of the de-Sovietized national anthem last December.

The parliamentary liberal faction of the Union of Right Forces, proposedto remove Lenin’s embalmed corpse from Red Square and replace his mausoleum with a memorial to victims of Soviet repression.

Last month, the State Duma, lower house of Russian parliament, put off abitter debate about whether to remove Lenin’s body from its mausoleum,turning the mausoleum into a museum of political repression.

The Communist faction led by its leader Gennady Zyuganov vehementlyobjected to the proposed measure, describing it an attempt by "neo-liberalright forces to exterminate everything related to the Soviet period ofhistory from the citizens’ consciousness."

Lenin’s body has been on display since he died in 1924, at age 53. Anestimated amount of $1.5 million is spent annually on the preservation ofhis body.

Some historians say, he had expressed a desire to be buried in StPetersburg, beside his mother.

Even former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev said recently that he wasin favour of burying Lenin’s body. "I believe that according to our traditions we must bury Lenin," he said.

So far, neither Putin nor his Unity party have commented on the ongoingdebate.