The Stalin Myth in Post-Soviet Russia: Public Perception and State-Sponsored Narratives

In contemporary Russia, the state actively promotes a distorted and oversimplified version of the country's history, leveraging it to justify military invasions, suppress opposition, and consolidate power within the authoritarian regime. Central to these efforts is the cultivation of a positive image of Josef Stalin, who is portrayed as a visionary leader who guided the Soviet Union to victory against Nazi Germany. This thesis examines the gradual construction of a favorable narrative on Stalin in post-Soviet Russian society, as well as the various instruments employed by the Russian government to facilitate this process.