St. Petersburg Marks 80th Anniversary of WWII Siege

St. Petersburg honored the 80th anniversary of the end of the devastating World War II siege by Nazi forces with memorial events attended by President Vladimir Putin and close allies.

On Saturday, January 27, 2023, the Russian city of St. Petersburg commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of the devastating World War II siege by Nazi forces. The city, then known as Leningrad, endured a nearly two-and-a-half-year blockade that resulted in the deaths of over a million residents.

Putin Attends Memorial Events

Russian President Vladimir Putin led the memorial events, laying flowers at a monument to fallen Soviet defenders on the banks of the Neva River and at Piskarevskoye Cemetery, where hundreds of thousands of siege victims are buried. He was joined by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Gatchina, a town outside St. Petersburg, for the unveiling of a statue commemorating civilians killed during the Nazi onslaught.

Remembering the Siege

Blockade survivor Irina Zimneva, now 85, shared her haunting memories of the tiny food rations distributed during the deadly winter of 1941-1942. She recalled receiving only 125 grams of bread per day for each family member and the desperate pleas of her mother for more. Zimneva emphasized the significance of her mother's love in helping her survive those dark days.

Open-Air Exhibition

In the lead-up to the anniversary, an open-air exhibition was set up in central St. Petersburg to remind residents of the city's harrowing past. The "Street of Life" display showcased a typical blockade-era apartment, complete with a central stove, heat-saving blankets on windows, and furniture repurposed for kindling. Visitors could also explore a replica classroom and see trams and ambulances from the early 1940s.

World War II's Impact on Russian Identity

World War II, in which the Soviet Union lost an estimated 27 million people, holds a central place in Russia's national identity. The country is sensitive to any questioning of the USSR's role in the war, especially in the later stages and its aftermath, when the Red Army gained control over vast regions of Eastern and Central Europe.

Link Between Nazism and Ukraine

In recent years, Moscow has repeatedly drawn parallels between Nazism and Ukraine, particularly those who have led the country since the 2014 ouster of a pro-Russia leadership. The Kremlin used the pretext of "de-Nazifying" Ukraine to justify its military intervention in February 2022, despite Ukraine having a democratically elected Jewish president who lost relatives in the Holocaust.

The 80th anniversary of the end of the siege of Leningrad serves as a poignant reminder of the immense suffering and resilience of the city's residents during World War II. The memorial events and exhibitions in St. Petersburg pay tribute to the victims and honor the legacy of those who fought and survived the devastating siege.