Soviet dictator Josef Stalin remains one of Russia's most popular historical figures despite the purges that marked his rule, according to the latest results in a nationwide poll.
The Georgian-born Stalin is in third place in the poll of most popular Russians run by Rossiya state television channel and which will close tonight with a final vote.
Millions of Soviet citizens perished from famine during forced collectivisation, were executed as "enemies of the people" or died in Gulag hard labour camps during Stalin's rule which lasted for almost 30 years until his death in 1953.
But he still won an 11.5 percent share of the voting so far.
The 12 finalists are led by 13th century prince Alexander Nevsky, who defeated German invaders, with 11.7 percent. He is followed by Pyotr Stolypin, a prime minister in the early 20th century known for agrarian reforms and a clampdown on leftist revolutionaries, with 11.6 percent.
The project was launched with an original list of 50 historical figures and closes with the final vote broadcast live today.
Whatever the result, human rights activists and communists say the vote has already showed Stalin enjoys unprecedented popularity in capitalist Russia.
"The younger generation is fed with myths about Stalin. It knows nothing about the millions who died in Gulag camps but well knows he was a strong leader who defeated (Nazi) Germany," human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov told Reuters.
He said a whiff of Stalinism was felt in Russia's harsh tone with the West which has critised Moscow of backtracking on democratic refoms and keeping a tight lid on dissent.
"Again, foreign enemies are to blame for all internal problems, so you need to rule with an iron fist -- it's a purely Stalinist method."
Stalin's nostalgic supporters like to repeat that he defeated Nazi Germany, industrialised the Soviet Union and achieved total literacy across a backward peasant nation.
"Of course, there were also dark pages...and coming along with his genius there were also destructive moments, but in general he is remembered mostly as a great leader," Viktor Ilyukhin, a leading member of the Communist party, told Reuters. "We have been living under capitalism for 20 years now and so what? We are now a rank-and-file country, no longer a superpower. Our voice is weak both in economics and politics, and key decisions are sometimes taken without us."