The exhibition "Arteries of Victory" opened in the Russian Railway Museum

The temporary exhibition "Arteries of Victory" is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad and the opening of traffic on the Victory Road.

The exhibition is inscribed in the permanent exposition of the museum: steam locomotives and wagons became the heroes of the narrative about the feat of railway workers during the Great Patriotic War. The showcases feature samples of uniforms and weapons, awards and personal belongings. Guests can enter the commuter train Ok 3906 (1940), which is normally closed to the public.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was attended by the Director of JSC "Russian Railways" for Communications – Head of the Department for Interaction with Federal and Regional Authorities Yuri Nagornykh, Head of the Oktyabrskaya Railway Viktor Golomolzin, Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg Kirill Polyakov, as well as invited guests: blockade veterans, railway workers and museum staff.

As Yuri Nagornykh emphasized at the opening ceremony, transport support was of particular importance for the survival of Leningrad residents and the defense of the city. First of all – railway communication.

On behalf of the Government of St. Petersburg and veterans of the blockade, Vice-Governor Kirill Polyakov expressed gratitude for the unique exhibition dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the breakthrough of the blockade ring. The feat of Leningrad transport workers has forever entered the history of the country and the city.

The head of the Oktyabrskaya Railway Viktor Golomolzin stressed that, thanks to the exhibition "Arteries of Victory", residents and guests of St. Petersburg, and most importantly, young people will learn about the history of the Leningrad railway junction during the evacuation of people and cargo from the besieged city.

"We have included the exhibition in the exposition, used the original rolling stock to create the effect of immersion in the era for visitors, especially children. We hope that this will help to better understand and fully appreciate the feat that the defenders of Leningrad performed," said Vladimir Odintsov, Director of the Russian Railway Museum.

The ceremony ended with an immersive performance in the exhibition space. The actors presented the story of four young Leningraders, into whose destinies the war broke.

The temporary exhibition is open until June 2023.

The heroic defense of Leningrad is one of the most tragic pages in the history of the Great Patriotic War. The work of railway workers had a significant impact on the course of the operation to liberate the city from the enemy siege.

On January 18, 1943, as part of Operation Iskra, the blockade was broken. In the vacated territory, a railway line was built in the shortest possible time, which saved many Leningraders. The construction and operation of the Victory Road took place in the most difficult conditions. Despite this, the railway workers showed a real feat of courage and in less than 20 days erected a 33-kilometer Shlisselburg-Polyany line.