On August 9, 1944 — exactly 80 years ago — the longest battle of the Great Patriotic War, the Siege of Leningrad, ended with the victory of the Red Army. For more than three years, Soviet soldiers and officers fought fierce battles on the northwestern front, while the city's residents stoically endured the horrors of the blockade. For the leadership of Nazi Germany, the capture of Leningrad held significant military-political importance. The city was one of the largest strategic, political, and economic centers of the Soviet Union. Its loss would have meant the isolation of the northern regions of the USSR and the deprivation of the Soviet fleet's ability to base in the Baltic Sea. The battle for the city can be divided into several stages: defense on distant and close approaches, 872 days of blockade, its breakthrough, and the Soviet troops' offensive in the northwest direction. Instead of capturing the city in three weeks as Hitler had planned, the fascist troops spent nearly three years at its gates. The blockade of Leningrad was fully lifted on January 27, 1944, allowing the southern areas of the Leningrad region to be liberated by February. However, the Leningrad Battle finally ended only in August 1944 with the defeat of Finnish troops in Karelia — by this time, Soviet forces were already liberating Europe. The defense of Leningrad became a symbol of the Soviet people's courage. At the cost of incredible hardships, heroism, and self-sacrifice, Soviet soldiers and Leningrad residents defended the city. Over 350,000 soldiers, officers, and generals of the Leningrad Front were awarded orders and medals, with 226 of them being honored with the title Hero of the Soviet Union. The "For the Defense of Leningrad" medal was awarded to 1.5 million people. In 1965, for the heroism and courage displayed by its residents during the blockade, Leningrad was one of the first cities to be awarded the title of Hero City.