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- The Battle of Stalingrad, one of the most famous battles of the Second World War, came to an end on February 2 1943.
- During the battle the Red Army successfully fought and encircled the Nazi onslaught, capturing more than 100,000 German soldiers in fierce street fighting.
- The battle was among the bloodiest in history with nearly two million people losing their lives.
- The Southern Russian city, now known as Volgograd, will once again be known as Stalingrad today to commemorate the victory.
- The city was renamed in 1961 as part of the Soviet Union's rejection of former dictator Josef Stalin's personality cult.
- Russia will mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the battle with a schedule of events held around the country.
Russia will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad today with a military parade.
The epic battle on the banks of the Volga River marked a key turning point of the Second World War.
President Vladimir Putin is expected in the city, now known as Volgograd, for the military parade to mark 70 years since the German surrender after the six-month battle, which became a symbol for Russians of patriotic sacrifice and unity.