Cromwell?

He was no better than Stalin, insists Putin: Russian leader brands both men as dictators
Putin plans to restore statues of Soviet tyrant and other Communist leaders more than two decades after they were toppled
By Paul Harris PUBLISHED: 23:41, 19 December 2013 | UPDATED: 23:43, 19 December 2013

One was a puritan who unseated a monarch in the name of parliamentary democracy. The other was a Communist tyrant whose citizens died by the million during his reign of terror. But yesterday Russian leader Vladimir Putin branded both men dictators and made the extraordinary claim that there was no real difference between Oliver Cromwell and Joseph Stalin. Asked which Soviet leader he would most like to honour with a statue, Putin stunned his audience by comparing Stalin to Cromwell.

Russian leader Vladim ir Putin has m ade the extraordinary claim that there w as no real difference betw een Oliver Crom w ell (left) and Joseph Stalin (right)

How in particular is Cromwell so different from Stalin? he asked. Can you tell me? Not in any way at all. From the point of view of liberals, he is the same bloody dictator. Mr Putin was speaking at a press conference on plans to restore statues of the Soviet tyrant and other Communist leaders more than two decades after they were toppled. Russian hardliners want to see a monument to Stalin brought back to Moscow. Putin compared the move to the existence of a statue of Cromwell outside the Houses of Parliament.

Mr Putin w as speaking at a press conference on plans to restore statues of the Soviet tyrant and other Com m unist leaders m ore than tw o decades after they w ere toppled. File picture

Of Cromwell a soldier and statesman who signed Charles Is death warrant before becoming Englands Protector he said: He was quite a treacherous dude, one has to say. 'And the role he played for Britain was ambiguous. But the monument of him stands there and no one knocks it down. He urged Russians: You know, the point is not in these symbols. 'The point is that we should treat each period of our history with respect. 'Cromwell lived there some time back. For us, this is all very raw. 'So we have to treat each period of our history with care. Although some historians dispute the figures, it is widely believed that up to 40million perished under Stalin, half through starvation or imprisonment, the other half helping to defeat Hitler during the Second World War. Around 300,000 are believed to have died during the English Civil War and during Cromwells brutal campaigns in Ireland. Putins comments came when he was lamenting the break up of the Soviet Union which he described as a tragedy of the 20th Century.

He was talking about plans to restore statues of the Soviet tyrant and other Communist leaders more than two decades after they were toppled. One contentious plan backed by hardliners would see monuments to Stalin and the feared founder of the Soviet secret services Felix Dzerzhinsky brought back in Moscow. Sir William Thornycrofts statue of Cromwell stands outside the Commons. It was erected in 1899 and has divided opinion, both before and since.

Sir William Thornycroft's statue of Crom w ell stands outside the Com m ons

Comments (1)
Share what you think Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all A P, Letchworth, United Kingdom, 3 hours ago Just based on mathematical statistics, I would say Stalin was 50 times worse than Cromwell for people's deaths. Let's not forget that Stalin ordered the murders of 20,000 Polish officers and other important people at Katyn forest during the Second World War. Putin's comments never cease to amaze me!

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