St. Petersburg Commemorates 80th Anniversary of WWII Siege
St. Petersburg, Russia, marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the devastating World War II siege by Nazi forces with a series of memorial events on Saturday. Russian President Vladimir Putin and close allies attended these commemorative ceremonies.
President Putin started the day by laying flowers at a monument to the fallen Soviet defenders of the city, formerly known as Leningrad, on the banks of the Neva River. He then proceeded to Piskarevskoye Cemetery, the final resting place of hundreds of thousands of siege victims.
In the afternoon, the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko joined Putin in Gatchina, a town outside St. Petersburg, for the unveiling of a statue commemorating civilians killed during the Nazi onslaught. Gatchina was once the site of camps for Soviet prisoners of war.
The siege of Leningrad lasted for nearly two and a half years, and the Red Army finally broke the blockade on January 19, 1943, after intense fighting. The death toll during the siege remains a topic of debate among historians, but it is estimated that over one million Leningrad residents died from hunger, air bombings, and artillery attacks.
For Russian President Putin, the siege holds personal significance as he was born and raised in Leningrad, and his father, a World War II veteran, fought for the city and sustained injuries during the conflict.
The memories of the blockade continue to haunt survivors like Irina Zimneva, 85, who vividly recalls the meager food rations distributed during the deadly winter of 1941-1942. Each member of her family received only 125 grams of bread per day, and Zimneva's mother begged her to be patient in their struggle for survival.
Zimneva, who had over 40 relatives in the city at the start of the siege, shares that only 13 of them lived to witness its end. She attributes her resilience to her mother's unwavering love and support during those dark days.
To remind residents of St. Petersburg of the harrowing moments in the city's history, an open-air exhibition was set up in the city center ahead of the anniversary commemorations. The Street of Life display recreates a typical apartment from the blockade era, complete with a central stove, windows covered in blankets for insulation, and remnants of furniture used as kindling. The exhibition also includes replicas of trams and ambulances from the early 1940s, providing a glimpse into the challenging conditions faced by the inhabitants of Leningrad.
For older residents, visiting the exhibition evokes poignant memories of a time when normal life was suspended. The heavy bombardment had largely destroyed the city's public transit system, while death and disease spread through its streets. Visitors feel a deep connection to the past and marvel at the resilience and survival of those who endured such hardships.
World War II holds immense significance for Russia, as the country lost an estimated 27 million people during the conflict. It continues to shape the national identity and evoke national pride. The Soviet Union's role in the war, particularly in the later stages and its aftermath, is highly revered in today's Russia.
The Russian government strongly opposes any questioning of the USSR's role in the war and is particularly sensitive regarding Ukraine. They have repeatedly tried to draw a connection between Nazism and Ukraine, even though the country has a democratically elected Jewish president with relatives who perished in the Holocaust.
The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of the siege in St. Petersburg serves as a poignant reminder of the hardships and sacrifices endured by the city's residents. It is an occasion for reflection, remembrance, and paying tribute to those who suffered and perished during one of the most devastating chapters in human history.
