Russian Governor Shows off New Stalin Statue to 'Honor' History

The death mask of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin is exhibited at a museum in his hometown of Gori, Georgia March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze/File Photo
The death mask of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin is exhibited at a museum in his hometown of Gori, Georgia March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze/File Photo
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Russian Governor Shows off New Stalin Statue to 'Honor' History

The death mask of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin is exhibited at a museum in his hometown of Gori, Georgia March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze/File Photo
The death mask of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin is exhibited at a museum in his hometown of Gori, Georgia March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze/File Photo

A new monument to Soviet-era leader Josef Stalin is set to be erected soon in a city in northwest Russia following what the regional governor there said were "appeals from the public".

Vologda Governor Georgy Filimonov published video on Friday showing workers putting the finishing touches to a life-sized statue of the Georgian-born ruler, who ruled the Soviet Union with an iron fist from 1924 until he died in 1953, Reuters reported.

Filimonov, who was appointed to his post last year by President Vladimir Putin, said the statue will be erected in the historic city of Vologda, which has a population of around 300,000 and lies roughly 275 miles (450 km) north of Moscow.

"This decision was triggered by appeals from the public to us," Filimonov wrote on his Telegram channel.

He said the statue would stand near a house where Stalin lived from 1911 to 1912 when exiled in the province for revolutionary activity.

Stalin oversaw rapid industrialisation and victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two but was also responsible for the deaths of millions in political purges, labour camps and famine, according to historians.

In his post, Filimonov seemed to anticipate push-back to the new statue.

"With all due understanding of the ambiguous interpretation of the role of (this) personality, we must recognize the great achievements, know the history of our country, (and) honor and be proud of it," he wrote.

Videos previously published by Filimonov demonstrate an affinity for Soviet leaders and photographs of secret police chiefs Lavrentiy Beria and Felix Dzerzhinsky hang on the walls of his office. He has dubbed a painting of himself shaking hands with Stalin, which hangs in his reception room, as "conceptual."

Filimonov also said on Friday that there were plans to install a monument to Ivan IV, a 16th-century Russian tsar under whom construction of Vologda's Kremlin began.

Popularly known as Ivan the Terrible, his reign was marked by violent purges of the Russian nobility and failed wars against Sweden and Poland.



Labubu-Maker Pop Mart Diversifies into Jewellery with New Concept Store 

A not for sale Labubu figure (L) and Labubu stickers are seen at a Pop Mart shop in Beijing on June 12, 2025. (AFP)
A not for sale Labubu figure (L) and Labubu stickers are seen at a Pop Mart shop in Beijing on June 12, 2025. (AFP)
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Labubu-Maker Pop Mart Diversifies into Jewellery with New Concept Store 

A not for sale Labubu figure (L) and Labubu stickers are seen at a Pop Mart shop in Beijing on June 12, 2025. (AFP)
A not for sale Labubu figure (L) and Labubu stickers are seen at a Pop Mart shop in Beijing on June 12, 2025. (AFP)

"Blind box" toymaker Pop Mart, which has seen frenzied sales worldwide for products related to its ugly-cute Labubu character, opened its first jewellery store in Shanghai on Friday.

The jewellery concept store, called Popop, sells accessories adorned with Pop Mart's top-selling characters, including Labubu, Molly and Skullpanda.

While Chinese consumption remains subdued in the face of a prolonged property downturn and sluggish economy, Pop Mart's affordable and adorable toys have remained in high demand both at home and abroad, driving its share price up more than 200% so far this year.

Investor Zhang Ming, 34, who owns Pop Mart stocks worth 100 million yuan ($13.92 million), flew from his base in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing for the opening to check out the new store type and decide whether to increase his shareholding in the company.

"I believe that the pricing and target audience for this brand are particularly well-suited, and I am confident that Pop Mart could potentially become China's version of Disney," Zhang said, predicting that the company's market cap could double from its current $45.65 billion valuation.

Along with some Disney characters and others related to anime, comics and popular video games, Pop Mart's characters are seen as fulfilling what has been called "emotional consumption", which sees young consumers spend on affordable luxuries that bring joy into their lives.

Fang Ke, 35, who has a birthday coming up this month decided to treat herself to a 699 yuan Labubu bracelet at the opening.

"I've loved Pop Mart for a long time; it's good-looking, brightly colored, and also has a visual impact," she said. "My daughter likes it too."

At Popop, prices start at around 350 yuan for charms or a simple silver ring, and go as high as 2699 yuan for necklaces adorned with metallic models of the characters. Most pieces are priced at under 1,000 yuan.

At a traditional Pop Mart store, the "blind box" toys that the chain is best known for generally sell for 69 yuan and up, but consumers have shown a willingness to shell out much more for limited editions.

Earlier this week, a Beijing auction house sold a human-sized Labubu figure for 1.08 million yuan, setting a new record and marking the toy's switch from craze to collectible.