Valentina Matvienko: “The defense of the city on the Neva River went down in history as an unprecedented example of strength of people’s spirit and faith in victory over fascism”

“75 years ago, on 27 January 1944, the Soviet troops completely liberated Leningrad from the fascist siege.

The defense of the city on the Neva River went down in history as an unprecedented example of the strength of people’s spirit and faith in victory over fascism.

Overcoming starvation and cold and never-ending artillery strikes, Leningrad citizens decisively stood against the enemy. Many of them didn’t survive until the lifting of the siege. The suffering and sorrow of those years will remain deeply rooted in memory.

Dear siege survivors! The great heroic deed of resistance and victory over this most terrible evil in the history of humanity became possible thanks to such people as you and those who stood by you during the fight.

The world will never forget those events. Despite the challenges, our people will always be courageous and united. We hold sacred the heroes, who paid with their lives and survived unbelievable hardships to defend their city; we revere their cast-iron will and commitment to the Motherland”, says the official address of Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council, Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko to the Governor and residents of St. Petersburg.