STORY: Russia marks 81st anniversary of Leningrad siege lift
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 27, 2025
DATELINE: Jan. 28, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:16
LOCATION: ST. PETERSBURG, Russia
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the event

STORYLINE:

Russia's St. Petersburg commemorated the 81st anniversary of the lifting of the Siege of Leningrad on Monday with a series of solemn events, including flower-laying ceremonies, thematic exhibitions, and candlelight vigils.

The Peter and Paul Fortress fired a salute, and torches were lit on the Rostral Columns as part of the traditional commemorations. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in St. Petersburg and attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Piskarevskoye Memorial Cemetery, where he joined local residents in mourning the victims who died during the siege.

Governor Alexander Beglov emphasized the significance of the day in an online statement, calling the liberation of Leningrad "sacred" and paying tribute to the city's residents, defenders, and survivors. He expressed deep gratitude to the veterans and those who lived through the blockade, acknowledging their resilience and sacrifice.

The city, then called Leningrad, endured a 872-day blockade by Nazi German forces during World War II. The siege, which lasted from Sept. 8, 1941, to Jan. 27, 1944, resulted in the deaths of over 600,000 people from starvation and bombings. More than 3,000 buildings were destroyed.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from St. Petersburg, Russia.
(XHTV)