Split On Stalin

From the MT:

“Russians, Ukrainians Split on Views of Stalin – Poll”

Russians and Ukrainians hold starkly different opinions of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin as a leader, according to surveys conducted in the two ex-Soviet countries that were published Wednesday. Russia’s independent polling agency Levada Center said 56% of Russian respondents agreed with the statement that “Stalin was a great leader.” The share of Russians who view Stalin as a great leader has grown twofold in the five years since this question was last asked in 2016.  But only 16% of Ukrainians polled by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) shared the same view when asked whether Stalin was a great leader. The share of those who disagree that Stalin was a great leader was inversely proportional at 14% of Russians and 40% of Ukrainians. “Respect, indifference and sympathy toward Stalin prevail in Russia, while among Ukrainians it’s indifference and negative feelings,” Levada said.

When asked to share their feelings, 45% of Russian respondents said they respect Stalin (up from 29% in 2018), followed by 28% who said they felt indifferent and 10% sympathetic (up from 6% in 2019). The most popular answers among Ukrainian respondents were indifference (34%) and disgust and hatred (17%), as well as dislike and irritation. Levada conducted the survey among 1,620 Russians between May 20-26 and KIIS among 2,007 Ukrainians between June 8-9.

^ The way Stalin is being taught across Russia (as a great leader who did no wrong) means the majority of Russians will think of him favorably – they are only being taught one side of what he did. The majority of Ukrainians (except those in Russian-occupied Crimea and the Donbas) have access to the truth and so hold a different view of Stalin.  ^

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/06/23/russians-ukrainians-split-on-views-of-stalin-poll-a74306