Russia's Putin calls for balanced assessment of Stalin

MOSCOW | Thu Dec 3, 2009 8:01am EST

MOSCOW Dec 3 (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called for a balanced assessment of Soviet leader Josef Stalin on Thursday, saying his legacy was not all positive or all negative.

Asked for his views on Stalin amid an ongoing debate in Russia over his legacy, Putin praised Stalin for industrialising the Soviet Union and winning World War Two but condemned his repression which destroyed the lives of millions. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, editing by Michael Stott) ((guy.faulconbridge@reuters.com, +7 495 775 12 42))
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