One Place Stalin Can Win a Popularity Contest? Russia

An effort to celebrate Russian nationalism has turned up an uncomfortable number of votes for Josef Stalin, the Wall Street Journal reports. The dictator blamed for the deaths of millions of Russians often led during 3 months of Internet balloting for the nation’s top historical figure, but was pushed to 12th when organizers "adjusted" his tally by one million votes, citing hacker interference.

Prominent public figures will debate Stalin—whose firm hand in World War II still makes him a hero to many Russians—and the other finalists on prime-time TV before voting wraps up in December. Currently in the lead is Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and nationalist hero, followed by writers Alexander Pushkin and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. (More Russia stories.)