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A nine-day photography exhibition began at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture on Wednesday to mark the 65th anniversary of Battle of Stalingrad.
   Ambassador Waliur Rahman, director of the Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs inaugurated the show as chef guest while chief editor of the United News of Bangladesh Enayetullah Khan was present as special guest.
   Counsellor Sergei Papov and Colonel Vadim Fenchenko, assistant military attaché, embassy of the Russian Federation in Bangladesh were also present as guests.
   A total of 48 photographs are on display which will remain open for all from 10:00am to 5:00pm except on Fridays and Saturdays.
   The speakers said that the battle was the turning point of the Second World War.
   According to the history, after the invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941 and the defeat in the Battle of Moscow the troops of the Fascist Germany started a huge offensive to
   the South of Russia on 17 July 1942.
   Their initial goal was to seize Stalingrad in order to disrupt all crude oil supplies coming from the City of Baku on the Caspian Sea as well as food supplies from Southern Russia.
   Later it was planned to capture the Caucasus. Similarly, politically, strategically and
   economically it was of utmost importance for the Russian Military Command to keep the City.
   Being high in numbers and rich in weapons, the German troops quickly advanced up to the City of Stalingrad through the vast steppes behind the Don River.
   Bloodshed battles started in the streets of the City under the heavy German bombing and shelling.
   Most of the City was captured by the German Army. The bleeding Red Army troops held on a thin stretch of land along the Volga River.
   Popular became the name of Red Army, Sergeant Yakov Pavlov who with his 24 soldiers of 6 different nationalities defended a house on the Volga River Bank.
   After massing troops and arms the Soviet Military Command launched a counter-offensive operation on 19 November 1942 which ended in full encirclement and defeat of 33 Germany divisions led by German Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus.
   The Battle of Stalingrad was the turning point of the Great Patriotic War. It demonstrated to the whole world the heroism of Russian people.
   Later on a War Memorial was built on the place of most fierce fighting – Mamaev Kurgan with a huge 87-meter figure of Mother Motherland on its top.