Putin Up a Fight?

(Fox News) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin might have a problem with an initiative to build a national museum and memorial to honor victims of Soviet-era repression. That plan is being led by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.

A statement from Gorbachev and 25 other leaders and activists reads, "The current and future generations need memory and knowledge of the repressions of the Stalin regime."

Critics say the Russian government has glossed over the crimes of its predecessors and has recast history to suit its needs. Putin even suggested last year that no one should make Russia feel guilty about the millions who died. He has even had a teacher's manual published suggesting Josef Stalin's actions were justified by the need to modernize the economy.

Gorbachev has expressed alarm over efforts to cast Stalin in a positive light, adding, "As for the memory of people who fell into the millstone of Stalin’s repressions, there is still a great deal to be done."