January 27 is the Day of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade: history

Every year on January 27, Russia celebrates the Day of the Complete Liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade, which lasted 872 days — longer than any other siege in world history. Despite hunger, cold winters and incessant shelling, the city and its inhabitants did not surrender to the enemy, demonstrating unprecedented courage and resilience. Izvestia tells about the events of the blockade years and the modern traditions of celebrating the significant date.

The Siege of Leningrad — history

The official beginning of the siege of Leningrad is considered to be September 8, 1941 — on this day, German troops captured Shlisselburg, cutting off the Northern capital from the rest of the country. The city could only maintain contact with the "mainland" from the air and via Lake Ladoga, but both of these routes were extremely dangerous.

The capture of Leningrad was important for the German command. This would undermine the defense and economic power of the USSR, as well as consolidate the dominance of the Third Reich in the Baltic. At the same time, the directive of the Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht dated September 22, 1941, entitled "The future of the city of St. Petersburg" indicated that the Fuhrer had decided to wipe the city off the face of the earth. The document also emphasized that Germany is not interested in saving the lives of the population.

From the very beginning of the blockade, German troops sought to destroy the infrastructure of Leningrad. Thus, enemy aircraft destroyed the Badaevsky warehouses, where the main food supplies were stored: 3 thousand tons of flour and 700 tons of sugar. Soon after, a card-based food distribution system was introduced in the city. By November 20, 1941, the bread ration for workers was 250 grams per day, and 125 grams for the rest of the inhabitants.

The situation was aggravated by an abnormally cold winter. The average temperature in December 1941 was -12.5 degrees at the usual time of -5 degrees. The cold weather disrupted heating and water supply systems, and public transport was stopped. Mortality among the population has reached catastrophic proportions. In December 1941 alone, 52,881 people died.

The story of the Day of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade: how the townspeople survived the blockade and learned about the lifting of the siege

In mid-January 1944, Soviet troops launched an offensive operation that ended on January 27.

At the same time, Leningrad was constantly shelled. During the siege, more than 107,000 incendiary and high-explosive aerial bombs were dropped on the city, and over 150,000 artillery shells were fired. About 10,000 houses and buildings, including 187 historical buildings, were destroyed. To protect residents, 1,500 loudspeakers warning of raids were installed on the streets, and stenciled warnings were placed on the walls of houses: "Citizens! This side of the street is the most dangerous during shelling." For the first time in world history, the blind were called up to serve as operators of the enemy aircraft sound detection system.

Despite the most difficult conditions, life in Leningrad did not stop. Throughout the 872 days of the blockade, various businesses and cultural institutions continued to operate in the city. Leningrad factories produced about 150 types of defense products, in particular, 13 submarines were built. The newspaper Leningradskaya Pravda was published throughout the blockade, performances and concerts were held in theaters, and in May 1942 a football match took place between Dynamo Leningrad and the team of the Metal Factory.

The supply of the city from September 1941 to March 1943 was carried out via a single highway through Lake Ladoga. In winter, there was an ice track, which the Leningraders called the Road of Life. She began work on November 22, 1941. It was used to deliver food and ammunition to the city, and people were evacuated from the city. In total, 1.7 million people were transported along the Road of Life.

How the siege of Leningrad was lifted

The siege of Leningrad was broken in early 1943. On January 12, as part of Operation Iskra, the troops of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts launched an offensive to defeat the German group south of Lake Ladoga, and on January 18 the encirclement was broken. The troops of the two fronts joined forces, restoring Leningrad's land connection with the country. Railways and highways were built in the newly formed corridor in 17 days. Already on February 7, 1944, the first train arrived in Leningrad.

Despite the success of Operation Iskra, it was not until January 27, 1944, during the Leningrad-Novgorod strategic operation, that the city was completely liberated from the blockade. On this day, the order of the Military Council of the Leningrad Front was read out on the radio, congratulating the residents on the great victory, and a solemn salute of 324 guns — 24 volleys - thundered in the city. It was the only first-degree salute during the war that was not held in Moscow.

To the world of animals: The "Blockade zoo" provides a model of behavior in a disaster

The life of animals in Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War has become a documentary parable

After the lifting of the blockade, more than 350,000 soldiers and officers of the Leningrad Front were awarded orders and medals. The city itself received the Order of Lenin on January 20, 1945, and in May 1965 it was awarded the title of Hero City.

In 2022, the St. Petersburg City Court recognized the siege of Leningrad as genocide of the Soviet people. The materials of the criminal case amounted to 59 volumes. The total number of victims of the blockade, according to the prosecutor's office, amounted to more than 1 million people. The amount of material damage inflicted on the city and its residents has exceeded 35 trillion rubles in modern terms.

The day of lifting the siege of Leningrad in 2026 is a tradition of celebration

Today, the Day of lifting the siege of Leningrad is considered the day of military glory of Russia. The memorial date was established in 1995. Since 2014, by decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, it has been officially named "The Day of the Complete Liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi Blockade."

Solemn and mourning events are held annually in St. Petersburg and other cities. Traditional flower-laying ceremonies are held in the Northern Capital on January 27. It is possible to honor the memory of the besiegers at Piskarevsky, Serafimovsky and Smolensky cemeteries. and also at the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad. At noon, a traditional cannon shot will be fired in the Tsar's Bastion of the Peter and Paul Fortress, and torches will be lit on the Rostral Columns from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 19:00 to 22:00.

In addition, residents and guests of St. Petersburg will be able to attend themed exhibitions, concerts and theatrical productions. In the evening, the traditional "Candle of Memory" action will take place, as part of which candles will be lit on the square in front of the Palace of Youth Creativity in memory of the feat of the Leningraders.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history and traditions of the International Customs Officer's Day.