General lives on in Russian consciousness

General Zhukov is seen by many as a hero who defeated Hitler and by others as an egotistical brute. Either way he lives on in public consciousness in Russia today, writes Geoffrey Roberts

MARSHAL Georgy Zhukov is contemporary Russia’s national hero, seen as the man who defeated Hitler and saved Russia and Europe from the Nazis.

His reputation is that of a Russian patriot and an independent-minded general who stood up to the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.