Russia celebrates the 70th anniversary of the historic victory at Stalingrad.
On January 31st, the heroic city of Volgograd in southwestern Russia began commemorating the 70th anniversary of the historic victory of the Soviet army and people over Stalingrad (now Volgograd) in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945).
The opening event of this activity was a performance of wartime songs, with 320 veterans who participated in the Battle of Stalingrad, rear-echelon staff, and members of the "Children of Stalingrad" organization invited to attend.
(Source: en.wikipedia.org)
Traditionally, on this occasion, members of the war-history club will reenact the scene of "capturing" Marshal Paulius, the top general of the Nazi German army and Hitler's staff 70 years earlier (January 31, 1943).
In addition, the International Memorial Flower Fair, titled "Flowers for Victorious Heroes," was also held in Volgograd, with the main theme being the creation of memorial flowers and flowers for veterans. This first-ever international flower fair in the city on the Volga River attracted many renowned florists from Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and 10 other regions of Russia.
On the same day, activities also began in Volgograd as part of the first interregional Youth Volunteer Footprint Forum, with the participation of volunteers from 27 regions of Russia.
The Battle of Stalingrad, lasting 200 days and nights (from July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943), is considered the longest and most arduous battle of World War II. Nearly 1,200,000 Soviet soldiers perished preventing the enemy from advancing towards the Volga River. The fiercest battle was the "battle for every inch of land" to defend the 102-meter-high hill known as Mamaev Hill in Stalingrad, which lasted 135 days and nights.
During the harsh winter days of late 1942, the Soviet Red Army held firm and tenaciously on the western bank of the Volga River, gradually gaining the upper hand, shifting from defense to counterattack. By early February 1943, the resistance of the fascist forces was completely crushed, and the 6th Army, with its 330,000 troops, was completely annihilated on February 2, 1943. In the Battle of Stalingrad, approximately 1.5 million German soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured.
The victory at Stalingrad has gone down in the history of the former Soviet Union and of all humanity, considered a crucial turning point that fundamentally changed the course of World War II. After February 1943, the Soviet Red Army began a counteroffensive on all fronts, leading to the victory on May 9, 1945, defeating the fascist army.
According to VNA - DT
