Last Saturday saw Volgograd inhabitants celebrate the 69th anniversary of the Soviet counter-offensive near Stalingrad.
© RIA Novosti . Kirill Braga / Go to the mediabankLast Saturday saw Volgograd inhabitants celebrate the 69th anniversary of the Soviet counter-offensive near Stalingrad.
![Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/16889/46/168894622_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_3c5883ff0efbb0f1c27a7f9fd5b9b581.jpg)
Last Saturday saw Volgograd inhabitants celebrate the 69th anniversary of the Soviet counter-offensive near Stalingrad.
© RIA Novosti . Kirill Braga / Go to the mediabankThe largest and most spectacular commemorative event took place on Sunday.
![Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/16889/46/168894637_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_91b1c788502fd398afa7fc8011ed24dd.jpg)
The largest and most spectacular commemorative event took place on Sunday.
© RIA Novosti . Kirill Braga / Go to the mediabankAn episode from the Soviet counter-offensive was reenacted near the river of Tsaritsa.
![Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/16889/46/168894653_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_04e620cc390fc112e9107354d7ae9e36.jpg)
An episode from the Soviet counter-offensive was reenacted near the river of Tsaritsa.
© RIA Novosti . Kirill Braga / Go to the mediabankThe pageant was staged by members of military history societies from Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Moscow, Kaluga, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Odessa, Pyatigorsk and Voronezh.
![Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/16889/46/168894691_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_1ec61be605d19ab542041866b00be541.jpg)
The pageant was staged by members of military history societies from Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Moscow, Kaluga, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Odessa, Pyatigorsk and Voronezh.
© RIA Novosti . Kirill Braga / Go to the mediabankThe mock battle involved a total of 200 participants.
![Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/16889/47/168894706_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_cbff2c508c76d8646d3eb8025d1b09e3.jpg)
The mock battle involved a total of 200 participants.
© RIA Novosti . Kirill Braga / Go to the mediabankParticipants operated German T-2 and T-3 tanks, a BM-12 armored vehicle, a legendary T-34 tank (photo), and Soviet 1942 ZIS-3 guns.
![Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/16889/47/168894721_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_246e1c82949bc56ee3c7f0d18e6c97b9.jpg)
Participants operated German T-2 and T-3 tanks, a BM-12 armored vehicle, a legendary T-34 tank (photo), and Soviet 1942 ZIS-3 guns.
© RIA Novosti . Kirill Braga / Go to the mediabankThe organizers and participants did their best to recreate the atmosphere of the Battle of Stalingrad.
![Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/16889/47/168894737_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_b8a4a0190fd1a36fb915f202f283faae.jpg)
The organizers and participants did their best to recreate the atmosphere of the Battle of Stalingrad.
© RIA Novosti . Kirill Braga / Go to the mediabankSixty-nine years ago, on November 19, 1942, forces of the Southwestern and Don Fronts that had been defending Stalingrad launched a counter-offensive that was preceded by 80 minutes of artillery bombardment. Starting at 7:30 in the morning, the barrage was sustained by Russia’s novel multiple rocket launchers, or Katyushas.
![Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/16889/47/168894755_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_023a69432bb9f62cfa59ffe1fcb8e978.jpg)
Sixty-nine years ago, on November 19, 1942, forces of the Southwestern and Don Fronts that had been defending Stalingrad launched a counter-offensive that was preceded by 80 minutes of artillery bombardment. Starting at 7:30 in the morning, the barrage was sustained by Russia’s novel multiple rocket launchers, or Katyushas.
© RIA Novosti . Kirill Braga / Go to the mediabankThe Soviet forces delivered a massed counterattack against German armies and broke through enemy defenses. The Stalingrad Front under Gen. Andrei Yeremenko attacked on November 20 and, performing an envelopment movement, met with the Southwestern Front on November 23 within 70 kilometers from Stalingrad. A German force numbering 330,000 found itself encircled.
![Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/16889/47/168894773_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_241f9234d69b9c0fb2a7bc97ffa58b9b.jpg)
The Soviet forces delivered a massed counterattack against German armies and broke through enemy defenses. The Stalingrad Front under Gen. Andrei Yeremenko attacked on November 20 and, performing an envelopment movement, met with the Southwestern Front on November 23 within 70 kilometers from Stalingrad. A German force numbering 330,000 found itself encircled.
© RIA Novosti . Kirill Braga / Go to the mediabankThe last encircled German units surrendered on February 2, 1943. This day is commonly regarded as ending the Battle of Stalingrad that proved a turning point in the Great Patriotic War.
![Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad Reenacting the Battle of Stalingrad - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/16889/48/168894814_0:0:0:0_600x0_80_0_1_bda871f1adb23a6ea98391e1f943d63a.jpg)
The last encircled German units surrendered on February 2, 1943. This day is commonly regarded as ending the Battle of Stalingrad that proved a turning point in the Great Patriotic War.