Fact file: The Battle of Stalingrad
- 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.
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