I. Metshin: “The Siege of Leningrad was a difficult time, a page of history that is forever in our memory”

(KZN.RU, January 25, Alina Berezhnaya). The solemn reception of Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Leningrad from the fascist blockade, was held today at the Kazan City Hall.

The Mayor of Kazan addressed the residents of besieged Leningrad with a welcoming speech. The Mayor said that this day will forever remain a memorable date for the whole country. “Today is a significant event – 75 years from the ending of the blockade of Leningrad. It was a difficult time, a page of history, of which we are very proud. Many movies, stories, on which we, the younger generation, were brought up. We are eternally grateful for your labor and combat feat. Thanks to you, there is a peaceful sky above us, we have the opportunity to live, create families and look to the future with confidence. Each of you has done a heroic deed and labor glory”, noted I. Metshin, He awarded veterans with St. Petersburg memorial signs in honor of the 75th anniversary of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the fascist blockade.

In response, Elvira Tarentinova, the deputy chairperson of the Kazan public organization Veterans of the Great Patriotic War – Residents of the Siege Hero Town of Leningrad, made a statement as well. She read the touching poems about the blockade of Leningrad, about people who survived this difficult time. “Today’s event is a holiday, this is our day, and this is a great happiness to be here. Thank you very much for such an attitude”, thanked Elvira Vladimirovna.

The honored guests of the event were 40 blockade members of Leningrad, veterans of the Great Patriotic War who now live in Kazan. Today, many of them are over 90 years old; the anniversary of the ending of the blockade is one of the most important and memorable dates for them.

This memorable day is celebrated in the capital of Tatarstan with special trepidation. Leningrad blockade residents, who were evacuated to Kazan in those years, lived and live now in the city. They made a significant contribution to the creation and development of industry, science, and culture by their work. In total, 128 blockade residents live in Kazan.

Thus, at the time of the blockade of Leningrad, Evgeny Semenov was only 8 years old. He and his two sisters were evacuated to the Urals from the besieged city in April 1942. Their parents died, so they were sent to an orphanage. After graduating from the vocational school, Evgeny got a job at the Kazan Helicopter Plant, where he worked until retirement. The veteran doesn’t like to remember the war years, he says people died of hunger and cold. “There were three of us in the family – me and my two sisters. We haven’t enough food. Before my father died, he brought us 3 slices of bread and we saved them for several days. Parents gave us the last everything, soon our mother died of hunger. I remember the bombing, the constant shots. In a word, it was a terrible time”, remembered Evgeny Semenov.

The event at the City Hall continued with a concert program. Rustem Gafarov, the first deputy head of the Executive Committee of Kazan, and the heads of the regional administrations of the city also took part in the solemn event.