22 May 2013 16:49

Russians dub Brezhnev best national leader in 20th century - poll

MOSCOW. May 22 (Interfax) - Leonid Brezhnev, the Soviet leader of 1964-1982, is the most popular in Russia, Levada Center said. It polled 1,500 respondents in 45 regions on April 19-22.

Some 56% of the respondents said they liked Brezhnev, and 29% did not.

Joseph Stalin was the first runner-up (supported by 50% and rejected by 38%). Nicholas II (48% for and 21% against) and Nikita Khrushchev (45% for and 35% against) came next.

Vladimir Lenin has the lowest popularity rating, 5%, and 28% think negatively of him.

The anti-rating was topped by Mikhail Gorbachev (disliked by 66% of the respondents) and Boris Yeltsin (64%). Their approval rating stood at 21% and 22% respectively.