News about installation of monument to Stalin sparks disputes among Ossetians

A message in social networks about the installation of a monument to Joseph Stalin by Dzambolat Tedeev, the head coach of the Russian freestyle wrestling team, in the village of Tsorbis has triggered disputes about Stalin's role in the history of Caucasian nations. Tedeev himself has refuted this message, but the discussion about Stalin's personality continues.

Dzambolat Tedeev, the head coach of the Russian national freestyle wrestling team, who is also and deputy of the North-Ossetian Parliament, has proposed to erect a monument to Stalin in Dzambolat's native village of Tsorbis, Yuri Betta, a Facebook user, has written.

"Let him erect a monument to the innocent people assassinated by this tyrant and his henchmen nearby," the user Timur Kochiev has added.

However, many users have also left positive comments, claiming Stalin's contribution to the country's development and victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Ruslan Totrov, a political analyst, treats the possible erection of a monument to Stalin as a manifestation of the "Stockholm syndrome" (an unconscious link of the victim with the aggressor, – note of the "Caucasian Knot").

Alik Pukhaev, an Ossetian blogger, is sure that Stalin had played an extremely negative role in the life of Ossetians and destroyed the national intelligentsia.

According to Alikhan Khoranov, the editor of the website "Hohag.com", the personality of Stalin is causing interest in those who are not very familiar with the history.

Alan Mamiev, a political analyst, has noted that many Ossetians associate Stalin with the justice and social equality. There are about 30 monuments to Stalin in Ossetia, he has pointed out.