Russians are marking the 60th anniversary of the death of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin today, with devotees laying flowers at his tomb in Moscow while critics blame the former Soviet leader for millions of deaths in purges and prison camps.

With the UN Security Council bracing for a showdown over Iraq, a top Russian diplomat said today that Moscow continues to oppose any attempt to legitimise war but hinted that it might back a compromise proposal to preserve its warm ties with the United States.