Stalin a genius: Poll

According to a state-funded opinion poll, about 60 pc of Russians attribute WW-II victory to Stalin8217;s military genius. 8216;8216;Stalin and his epoch are an inalienable part of my country8217;s 8230;history,8217;8217; President Vladimir Putin told a German newspaper this week. 8216;8216;Of course, Stalin was a tyrant and many say he was a criminal. But he was not a Nazi!8217;8217;

Gorbachev differs

Former President Mikhail Gorbachev said V-Day should give no pretext for extolling Stalin. 8216;8216;Stalin8217;s name will be mentioned more than once during celebrations 8230;But one shouldn8217;t go so far as to say that we owe the victory to Stalin..,8217;8217; he said on Sunday.