January 18, 1943 is celebrated as the date of breaking the Siege of Leningrad

The rally and other ceremonies were attended by representatives of Nevsky shipyard.

The Siege of Leningrad (Saint Petersburg), also known as the Leningrad Blockade, is a prolonged military operation during the World War II. The encirclement lasted for 872 days and was finally broken on January 18, 1943 in the wake of an offencive «Iskra» in Shlisselburg.

After fierce battles the Red Army units overcame the powerful German fortifications to the south of Lake Ladoga, and the operation resulted in a 10–12 km wide land corridor, which could provide some relief to the besieged population of Leningrad/

On January 18, 1943 at 9:30 a.m. at the East outskirts of the Industrial community N 1 near Shlisselburg after a decisive attack, the 123rd infantry brigade units of the Leningrad front joined the units of the 372nd division of the Volkhov front. Later other Soviet military formations also met each other. On the same day Shlisselburg and the entire south shore of Ladoga lake were freed.

Around midnight of January 18 the radio broadcasted the blockade break. Citizens on the streets and avenues triumphed. Early in the morning of January 19 the hero city was decorated with flags.

Although only a small corridor from Volkhov front to Shlisselburg was won back as a result of the break, a strip of peatbog from 8 to 11 kilometers wide enabled to reestablish land communication with Leningrad up to the final blockade raising. Along the southern shore of Ladoga lake began the construction of 36 kilometers’ railway from Shlisselburg to Polyany. On February 6 along the new “Road of Life” brought trains to Leningrad.