"Putin's Controversial Remarks at Leningrad Siege Memorial"

St. Petersburg commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of the Nazi siege, with Russian President Vladimir Putin laying flowers at monuments and attending memorial events. The Red Army broke the blockade on Jan. 19, 1943, after more than 1 million residents perished from hunger and bombardments. Blockade survivor Irina Zimneva shared her haunting memories of the deadly winter, and an open-air exhibition in the city provided poignant reminders of the harrowing moments during the siege. World War II remains a crucial part of Russia's national identity, and officials emphasize the USSR's role in the war while also seeking to make a link between Nazism and Ukraine.