Russian parade marks 75 years since WWII siege of Leningrad
Posted January 27, 2019 6:00 am
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) - The Russian city of St. Petersburg is marking the end of the World War II siege by Nazi forces with a large military parade in sprawling Palace Square.
The siege of the city, then called Leningrad, lasted nearly 2ˆ½ years until the Soviet Army drove the Nazis away on Jan. 27, 1944.
Estimates of the death toll vary, but historians agree that more than 1 million Leningrad residents died from hunger or air and artillery bombardments during the siege.
On Sunday, more than 2,500 soldiers and 80 units of military equipment were parading even as snow fell and temperatures hovered around minus-18 degrees Celsius (0 Fahrenheit).
The vehicles included a T-34 tank; such tanks played a key role in defeating the Nazis and became a widely revered symbol of the nation's wartime valor and suffering.
People walk in snowfall to the Motherland monument to place flowers at the Piskaryovskoye Cemetery where most of the Leningrad Siege victims were buried during World War II, in St.Petersburg, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019. People gathered to mark the 75th anniversary of the battle that lifted the Siege of Leningrad. The Nazi German and Finnish siege and blockade of Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, was broken on Jan. 18, 1943 but finally lifted Jan. 27, 1944. More than 1 million people died mainly from starvation during the 900-day siege. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
People place flowers to the Motherland monument at the Piskaryovskoye Cemetery where most of the Leningrad Siege victims were buried during World War II, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019. People gathered to mark the 75th anniversary of the battle that lifted the Siege of Leningrad. The Nazi German and Finnish siege and blockade of Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, was broken on Jan. 18, 1943 but finally lifted Jan. 27, 1944. More than 1 million people died mainly from starvation during the 900-day siege. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
People walk in snowfall to place flowers to the Motherland monument at the Piskaryovskoye Cemetery where most of the Leningrad Siege victims were buried during World War II, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019. People gathered to mark the 75th anniversary of the battle that lifted the Siege of Leningrad. The Nazi German and Finnish siege and blockade of Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, was broken on Jan. 18, 1943 but finally lifted Jan. 27, 1944. More than 1 million people died mainly from starvation during the 900-day siege. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
People walk in snowfall to place flowers to the Motherland monument at the Piskaryovskoye Cemetery where most of the Leningrad Siege victims were buried during World War II, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019. People gathered to mark the 75th anniversary of the battle that lifted the Siege of Leningrad. The Nazi German and Finnish siege and blockade of Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, was broken on Jan. 18, 1943 but finally lifted Jan. 27, 1944. More than 1 million people died mainly from starvation during the 900-day siege. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
People walk in snowfall to the Motherland monument to put flowers at the Piskaryovskoye Cemetery where most of the Leningrad Siege victims were buried during World War II, in St.Petersburg, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019. People gather to mark the 75th anniversary of the battle that lifted the Siege of Leningrad. The Nazi German and Finnish siege and blockade of Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, was broken on Jan. 18, 1943 but finally lifted Jan. 27, 1944. More than 1 million people died mainly from starvation during the 900-day siege. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
People walk past pieces of bread lying at a bed of honor at the Piskaryovskoye Cemetery where most of the Leningrad Siege victims were buried during World War II, in St.Petersburg, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019. People gathered to mark the 75th anniversary of the battle that lifted the Siege of Leningrad. The Nazi German and Finnish siege and blockade of Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, was broken on Jan. 18, 1943 but finally lifted Jan. 27, 1944. More than 1 million people died mainly from starvation during the 900-day siege. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
A man places a piece of bread at a bed of honor at the Piskaryovskoye Cemetery where most of the Leningrad Siege victims were buried during World War II, in St.Petersburg, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019. People gathered to mark the 75th anniversary of the battle that lifted the Siege of Leningrad. The Nazi German and Finnish siege and blockade of Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, was broken on Jan. 18, 1943 but finally lifted Jan. 27, 1944. More than 1 million people died mainly from starvation during the 900-day siege. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
Pieces of bread and sugar at the Piskaryovskoye Cemetery where most of the Leningrad Siege victims were buried during World War II, in St.Petersburg, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019. People gathered to mark the 75th anniversary of the battle that lifted the Siege of Leningrad. The Nazi German and Finnish siege and blockade of Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, was broken on Jan. 18, 1943 but finally lifted Jan. 27, 1944. More than 1 million people died mainly from starvation during the 900-day siege. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
In this Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 photo Nikolai Shalnov, 91, a survivor of the Nazi siege of Leningrad during World War II, speaks to The Associated Press in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Nazi siege of Leningrad lasted nearly 2 and a half years until the Soviet Army drove the Nazi troops away on Jan. 27, 1944. Estimates of the death toll vary, but historians agree that more than one million Leningrad residents died of hunger and air and artillery bombardment in one of the most horrifying episodes of World War II. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
In this Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 photo Tamara Chernykh, 81, a survivor of the Nazi siege of Leningrad during World War II, attaches a memorable medal marking the 75th anniversary of complete liberation of the city in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Nazi siege of Leningrad lasted nearly 2 and a half years until the Soviet Army drove the Nazi troops away on Jan. 27, 1944. Estimates of the death toll vary, but historians agree that more than one million Leningrad residents died of hunger and air and artillery bombardment in one of the most horrifying episodes of World War II. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
In this Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 photo, Tamara Chernykh, 81, a survivor of the Nazi siege of Leningrad during World War II, speaks to The Associated Press in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Nazi siege of Leningrad lasted nearly 2 and a half years until the Soviet Army drove the Nazi troops away on Jan. 27, 1944. Estimates of the death toll vary, but historians agree that more than one million Leningrad residents died of hunger and air and artillery bombardment in one of the most horrifying episodes of World War II. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
In this Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 photo, Tamara Chernykh, 81, 2nd left, a survivor of the Nazi siege of Leningrad during World War II, receives a memorable medal marking the 75th anniversary of complete liberation of the city in St.Petersburg, Russia. The Nazi siege of Leningrad lasted nearly 2 and a half years until the Soviet Army drove the Nazi troops away on Jan. 27, 1944. Estimates of the death toll vary, but historians agree that more than one million Leningrad residents died of hunger and air and artillery bombardment in one of the most horrifying episodes of World War II. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The Associated Press
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