Portraits of the controversial Soviet dictator...
Kremlin.The mayor"s plans to set up billboards commemorating Stalin"s role in WWII in the run-up to this year"s 65th Victory Day Parade on May 9 had been announced in February and provoked strong controversy in Russian society.
Defending his decision, Luzhkov said though he was not a Stalin apologist, the billboards reflected "objective history."
Stalin has not been present in Moscow"s Victory Day decorations for decades, but his name still provokes strong arguments in Russia.
Human rights activists protested against Luzhkov"s decision, threatening to stage demonstrations if the posters were put up.
In a clear bid to ease tensions over Stalin"s images, a source in the organizing committee of the celebrations, led by President Dmitry Medvedev, said there would be no such decorations in Moscow on Victory Day, marked as one of the biggest national holidays.
Between the 1930s and 1950s millions of people were executed on false charges
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