I think Russia's greatest ruler was Peter the Great. He was the ruler who modernized Russia and made Russia a European power to be reckoned with. His other achievements included the founding of St Petersburg, the building of the first Russian navy (from scratch), and the formation of a professional army in line with the western European standards of the 18th century. After Peter the Great, I would vote for Catherine the Great. I think these two rulers were the greatest rulers Russia ever had.

I agree with the last post in the choice but the order I would reverse. However, I would like to say there were so many great Russians that to place Stalin at the top is ignorance by a percentage of the population unless they are of Bolshevik ancestors still spewing their propaganda. One must realize that many of the best people of Russia were unable to provide offspring into Russia's future, since they were systematically shot or sent to the GULAG. These historical acts do not make a great human and for those voting in his favor confirms they reject truth in favor of fear tactics. How would the 40 to 60 million who perished under his "Red Terror" vote? If I were to pick a modern Russian then it would be Nicolas II because under great pressure in dealing with WWI and the insurgent revolutionary forces he appears to have risen above to the level of Humanity the world lacks by dealing with these problems civilly unlike Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin in the use of persecution, terror and death by the NKVD. It would be hypocritical for Russia as a newly embraced Christian nation to accept a vote for evil men and realize this is the wrong policy for building a respectable society.

Most Non Russians conveniently forget that Hitler had quickly swept to Victory Conquering & controlling Europe. If Hitler had stopped at the Borders Of Russia the outcome of the war would have been dramatically different. He did not count on a madman worse than him to fight him. It was Hitlers worst mistake & the Worlds saving grace. Russia was the only country that had been invaded & fought to Victory against the Nazi's. Like it or not, the war that Stalin fought was the main cause of Hitlers demise. NO historian can argue this. The Cost & Methods were brutal but there is no war in history that was not. The alternative was enslavement of not only Russia but all of Europe & maybe the world. The Americans & British like to claim victory but there country was never invaded. Certainly they were an immense help but it is very different from Sacrificing 25 million men to save your country & the world. The cost of the war effected him personally very much, & afterwards changed the worlds view of him. But Until the end of 1945 he was the Greatest Russian ever.