Lenin's Legacy Fades in Modern Russia, A Century After His Death

Despite his criticism, Putin opposes removing Lenin's body from the mausoleum, acknowledging the emotional hold Lenin still has on many Russians.

A century after his death, Vladimir Lenin, the founder of the Soviet Union, is largely an afterthought in modern Russia, with his image and ideology no longer central to the country's identity.
The Red Square mausoleum, where Lenin's embalmed body lies, is no longer a significant site of pilgrimage, drawing fewer visitors than the Moscow Zoo.
Many of Lenin's statues have been vandalized, and streets and localities that bore his name have been renamed.
The Communist Party, which champions Lenin's ideology, is the largest opposition group in parliament but holds only 16% of the seats, overshadowed by President Vladimir Putin's United Russia.
Despite his criticism of Lenin, Putin opposes initiatives to remove Lenin's body from the mausoleum, acknowledging the emotional hold Lenin still has on many Russians.