MOSCOW, March 4 (RIA Novosti) – A poll published by the Levada Center on Monday showed that most Russians are against the idea that the Russian city of Volgograd could again bear Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's name.
Volgograd was originally named Tsaritsyn until 1925, when it was renamed after Stalin for his role in leading the Red Army in the city during the Civil War. The city's name was changed to Volgograd in 1961, following the campaign against Stalin's "cult of personality."
Earlier this month, Russian officials proposed a referendum during which the residents should decide whether they support the idea for the city to revert to its Soviet-era name.
The Levada poll published a day ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Soviet dictator's death showed that some 55 percent of respondents link the death of Stalin to the end of terror and mass repressions and the release of millions of innocent people from prisons.
The survey showed the same number of respondents want Volgograd to retain its present name. Some 23 percent of respondents favor the idea of renaming the city to Stalingrad, while six percent of respondents said they want Volgograd to be renamed Tsaritsyn.
