I would like to know who are the representatives of the minuscule Yabloko party and what "alternative (mis)information" they have in mind. As to the "human rights activists," who are they? Who elected them? Who gave them the right to oppose the display of the portrait of one of handful of most influential leaders responsible for the victory over the Nazi? Fifty years after his death, Stalin has proven to be more than once one of the most admired historical figures of Russia. In fact, a poll that lasted for months a couple of years ago showed him leading the list of the most popular figures in Russia. This information was published in RT. Communists form the second largest party in Russia. Don't they have human rights? Get over it, anti-historians, and go get a life! And the truth shall prevail.

This whole business seems rather funny, on one hand, although for some people it is very serious, on the other. The Federal government is probably doing the right thing to play down the controversy. Hopefully the pro-Stalin and anti-Stalin forces will not start to fight in the streets. It makes me feel hopeful for the future of civil society in Russia, if the people can argue over such a controversial figure, and the worst thing that happens is somebody paints graffitti on a bus. (I hope I haven't jinxed anything.)

MEJannsen, Wonderful comment!

For as long as Russians play tug-of-war over support for and opposition against one of history’s greatest and most brutal mass murderers, Russia will remain an unreliable and unstable country, and rightly held in suspicion and mistrust by the rest of the world. Just as Germany would be if significant numbers of Germans were still for and against Hitler, and pictures of that monster would keep re-appearing and disappearing in German cities courtesy of different branches of the German government.