Stalin, who ran the country from 1924 until his death in 1953, was found to be particularly unpopular with people under 25 (19%).
The former Generalissimo, who led the Soviet Union to victory in World War II, splits opinion inside modern Russia. For some, he is a hero for his wartime leadership. For another segment of society, he was a tyrant who led a repressive and murderous regime. For others, he is a mixture of the two. This split is seen starkly in the WCIOM poll, where he also came in third place in the survey for the most beloved Soviet figures.
Not unlike how many feel about FDR. They may have despised his domestic policies, but admired him for being a Wartime President.