OREANDA-NEWS. Russian independent, non-governmental polling and sociological research organization “Levada Center” carried out a survey on the attitude of Russians to the personality of Joseph Stalin, a Soviet politician who led the USSR from the mid–1920s until 1953.

It was discovered that 70 % of Russians approve his role in the history (52 % call it largely positive, 18 % entirely positive), and only 19 % of respondents disapprove it (14 % – largely negative, 5 % – entirely negative). 11 % did not return a certain answer.

More than a half of respondents (51 %) treats Stalin with admiration, respect or sympathy. The prevailing attitude is respect (41 %). 26 % of respondents reported that they are indifferent to Stalin. 14 % of Russian citizens reported about their irritation, fear or disgust. 1 % of survey participants admitted that they do not know who Stalin was.

Stalin’s previous record approval rating stood at 54 % in 2016. A record low of 19 % viewed Stalin’s role negatively, down from 32 percent in the same year.

The vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Dmitry Novikov considers that an approval of the activities of Joseph Stalin by Russians can be explained by the successes of the USSR, which the country achieved not because of the circumstances, but in spite of them.

Academy of Sciences sociologist Leonty Byzov commented the results of the survey saying that “Stalin begins to be perceived as a symbol of justice and an alternative to the current government, deemed unfair, cruel and not caring about people”, and adding that “it’s purely a mythological image of Stalin, very far from the real historical figure.”