Putin Renames Russian Airport to Stirring WWII Title: Stalingrad

(The News Pulse) – On Tuesday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree officially changing the name of Volgograd’s airport to Stalingrad. The city held this historic name during WWII when the Red Army triumphed over Nazi German troops in what became one of the war's most significant battles.

To commemorate the triumph of the Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War from 1941 to 1945, I am ordering... that the historic title 'Stalingrad' be bestowed upon Volgograd International Airport," as stated in the decree posted on the Kremlin’s website.

World War II, where approximately 22-25 million Soviet citizens reportedly perished, is referred to in Russia as The Great Patriotic War. To numerous Russians, the mention of Stalingrad evokes recollections not only of the conflict’s immense sacrifices but also of the brutal governance under dictator Joseph Stalin.

Putin frequently likens his assault on Ukraine to a battle against Nazis, framing the conflict for Russia as a "special military operation" aimed at "disarming" and "cleansing" Ukraine of nazism.

Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union and endured destruction under Adolf Hitler’s regime, dismisses these comparisons as baseless justifications for an imperialistic invasion.

During his passionate address in Volgograd in 2023 commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad, Putin criticized Germany for aiding Ukraine with arms and reaffirmed that he would not hesitate to utilize all of Russia’s military resources, including nuclear capabilities.

Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad since it changed names in 1961, marked the most brutal battle during the conflict; here, the Soviet Red Army incurred more than one million losses but ultimately crippled the invading German forces in 1942–43.

(Reported by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Edited by Daniel Wallis)