Russia's Public Chamber asks Moscow to drop Stalin poster plans

[Kshasty]

The Russian Public Chamber on Tuesday asked Moscow city authorities to abandon plans to decorate the city with Joseph Stalin billboards for the 65th Victory Day celebrations.

Moscow City Hall revealed plans on February 17 to set up billboards across the Russian capital to commemorate Stalin's role in the Soviet victory against Nazi Germany in 1945. The plans stirred controversy among Muscovites and provoked anger from human rights activists, but won the sympathy of war veterans.

"Regardless of their initial intentions, the Moscow authorities' decision can be viewed only as an ill-considered move, which provokes public tensions and confrontation during the celebrations of the anniversary of the Great Victory," the Chamber said in a statement.

Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov earlier said "the bacchanalia in the media" had distorted the officials' plans, conjuring up the image of a city full of Stalin posters.
He said that billboards focusing exclusively on Stalin's wartime achievements would only be placed at 10 sites across the city, including the Poklonnaya Memorial Park, and in front of the Bolshoi Theater.

A number of public organizations said they would launch protests if the decision was not reversed.

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