The Communist party in St Petersburg has petitioned the Orthodox Church to canonise Josef Stalin if he wins a television poll to nominate the greatest Russian in history...
The Soviet dictator, who was responsible for the deaths of around 15 million people during his 31-year reign of terror, is in second place in online voting for the Name of Russia competition.
Stalin last week surrendered a narrow lead to Nicholas II in the contest, which is based on the BBC's Great Britons series.
Is that chutzpah, or what?
Who's next? Decius? Diocletian?
