The Communists of Russia party has asked the security service to investigate whether Western intelligence services were involved in the death of Joseph Stalin.
Stalin ruled the Soviet Union from 1924 until he died in 1953 – the cause of death was given as haemorrhagic stroke at the time.
Party chairman Sergei Malinkovich appears unsatisfied with the official version of events, however, announcing that he has asked the FSB (Federal Security Service) and prosecutors to “check the possible involvement of Western intelligence services in the death of Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin”.
Tuesday marked the 71st anniversary of Stalin’s death.
“Many testimonies from Stalin’s contemporaries speak of the possible poisoning of the leader of the Soviet nations by agents of Western influence,” he added, according to the state owned RIA news agency.
It was not immediately clear whether the FSB or the Prosecutor General’s office had replied to the party’s request.
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Stalin wielded absolute power and oversaw Russia’s rapid industrialisation, but also the deaths of millions in purges, Gulag labour camps and famines.
President Vladimir Putin, who casts himself as an heir to the tsars of the past, has offered a measured assessment of Stalin, praising his war leadership while condemning his domestic policies as “totalitarian”.
President Putin is widely expected to secure another six-year term in office when Russia goes to the polls later this month.
Wow, this is the best conspiracy theory I’ve heard all day.
Even if there was evidence of Western involvement, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they were responsible for Stalin’s death.
Stalin died of a stroke in 1953. There is no evidence to suggest that he was assassinated.
Yeah, Stalin was probably assassinated by a team of ninjas.
Oh, come on. You’re reaching now.
I still think it’s a valid question to ask. We don’t know for sure what happened.
This is a ridiculous conspiracy theory. There is no evidence to support the claim that the West was involved in Stalin’s death.
The autopsy report shows that Stalin died of a stroke.
The West killed Stalin? Did they use a magic wand?
Oh, sure. The West killed Stalin. And I’m the Queen of England.
Even if he died of a stroke, that doesn’t mean that he wasn’t assassinated.
I never thought about this before. It’s interesting to consider the possibility of Western involvement in Stalin’s death.
It’s not a valid question. There is no evidence to support it.