Russia’s controversial minister of culture, Vladimir Medinsky, in October called a Soviet legend about 28 soldiers who died defending Moscow from invading Nazis in World War II “sacred” and anyone who questions it “scum.” A ministry-supported film dramatizing the story, “Panfilov’s 28,” was released across Russia in November despite Soviet archives published in 2015 that prove the legend was propaganda. VOA’s Daniel Schearf reports from Moscow.
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