Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

St. Petersburg marks eighty-third anniversary of breakthrough of city


(MENAFN) Residents of St. Petersburg on Sunday commemorated the 83rd anniversary of the breakthrough of the wartime siege of the city, formerly known as Leningrad, with memorial ceremonies and flower-laying events held across multiple sites, according to official statements.

The siege of Leningrad stands as one of the most devastating blockades in history. More than one million people — about half of the city’s population before the war — lost their lives due to hunger, illness, and relentless shelling while the city was encircled by Nazi German forces and their Finnish allies. The blockade began on September 8, 1941, and endured for 872 days.

In January 1943, Soviet forces succeeded in opening a narrow land corridor to the city, easing conditions for residents. The siege was completely lifted a year later, on January 27, 1944.

Senior regional officials, lawmakers, and representatives of veteran and civic organizations gathered at major memorial sites, including the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad and the blockade memorial complex at Victory Square, where flowers were laid in tribute. Participants included leading figures from the city legislature, federal representatives, and members of regional administrations.

“The breakthrough of the Leningrad blockade will forever remain an example of resilience, courage and heroism for us,” one senior official said in a statement. “We are grateful to the generation of victors who defended our city and broke the enemy’s resistance in the harshest conditions. The memory of the feat of the defenders and residents of besieged Leningrad is sacred for every resident of St. Petersburg.”

Additional remembrance activities were held throughout the city, with residents and volunteers placing flowers at blockade memorials. As part of nationwide commemorations, volunteers also launched the “Leningrad Victory Ribbon” initiative, handing out commemorative ribbons near major metro stations.

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