Just days before the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, Russian volunteer teams laid to rest the remains of Red Army soldiers who died fighting Nazi forces near what was once Leningrad—now St. Petersburg—during World War II. The emotional burial ceremony was held in the Leningrad region after the remains were discovered in nearby forests, where fierce battles raged during the German siege in 1942–43.
The volunteers, including the group known as “Snezhny Desant” (“Snowy Landing Force”), use metal detectors and wartime relics to locate unmarked wartime graves. Their mission: to recover the fallen and, where possible, restore their identities. One soldier was found with a preserved identification medallion, offering a rare glimpse into a lost life.
Hundreds of thousands of Red Army troops remain missing across Russia’s forests and bogs. While few can be identified, volunteers work tirelessly each year to uncover, document, and bury them with dignity.
Ayrat Fatykhov, leading a team from Kazan, called it “unfair” that so many remain forgotten in the woods, while others are honored in urban ceremonies on May 9. The teams mark graves with a red star and plaques, paying tribute to those who gave their lives defending their homeland.
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