The Siege of Leningrad: 900 Days of Defiance

The Siege of Leningrad, lasting 872 days from 8 September 1941 to 27 January 1944, was one of the longest and most devastating sieges in history. German and Finnish forces encircled the city (now St Petersburg), cutting off almost all supplies of food, fuel, and raw materials. The suffering of Leningrad's citizens became a symbol of Soviet resistance and human endurance.

During the first winter of the siege, temperatures dropped to minus 40 degrees and the daily bread ration fell to just 125 grams—a thin slice of bread made partly from sawdust and cellulose. Over one million civilians died, mainly from starvation and cold. Bodies lay uncollected in the streets. Yet the city never surrendered.

The 'Road of Life' across frozen Lake Ladoga provided the only supply route during winter, with trucks driving across the ice under constant bombardment. In spring, barges took over. This tenuous lifeline kept the city alive. The full lifting of the siege on 27 January 1944 was one of the most emotionally charged moments of the entire war. Many veterans of the Immortal Regiment UK carry portraits of relatives who survived or perished during the blockade.