Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov said he still...

"When they say the Moscow mayor wants to decorate the entire city with Stalin"s portraits - this is a lie. In fact, from the 2,000 different types of decorations, only ten will depict Stalin among other marshals of [WWII] Victory. Two thousand [others] and ten [of Stalin]. This is how it will be," the paper quoted Luzhkov as saying.

The mayor"s plans to set up billboards commemorating Stalin"s role in WWII in the run-up to this year"s 65th Victory Day Parade on May 9 were announced in February and provoked strong controversy in Russian society.

Human rights activists protested against the decision, saying they would stage demonstrations if the posters were put up.

In a clear bid to ease tensions over Stalin"s images, a source in the organizing committee of the celebrations, led by President Dmitry Medvedev, has said there would be no such decorations in Moscow on Victory Day, marked as one of the biggest national holidays. Luzhkov"s latest statement will surely

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