Except, once again, the statistics say that the people who were alive tend to have the most favorable opinion. If it was just some conspiracy were everything was made up, you'd expect the opposite.
Stalin died in 1953 how many of the people surveyed were alive during that time to have a favorite view of him especially in comparison to reformers like Gorbachev vs how many of them are utterly brainwashed by the current Russian propaganda machine?
An easy answer would be too look at the numbers for the former USSR states which are now EU members.
Furthermore it's important to note that this is an aggregated statistical butchery from multiple surveys in none of which was a question asked along the lines of "would you rather live under the USSR or being free".
All of these were peripheral questions about various nationalistic identities and historical figures, all of which were heavily retconned in the past few decades by Russia.
Stalin used to be one of the most despised figures in Russian history even during the USSR today he is celebrated as a hero that is simply sickening.
An easy answer would be too look at the numbers for the former USSR states which are now EU members.
Furthermore it's important to note that this is an aggregated statistical butchery from multiple surveys in none of which was a question asked along the lines of "would you rather live under the USSR or being free".
All of these were peripheral questions about various nationalistic identities and historical figures, all of which were heavily retconned in the past few decades by Russia.
Stalin used to be one of the most despised figures in Russian history even during the USSR today he is celebrated as a hero that is simply sickening.