[vol-guh-grad, vohl-; Russ. vuh
l-guh-graht] 
| a city in the SW Russian Federation in Europe, on the Volga River: battles in World War II, September 1942–February 1943. 999,000. |
| Vol·go·grad (vŏl'gə-grād', vōl'-, vəl-gə-grät') A city of southwest Russia on the Volga River northeast of Rostov. Founded in 1589 as a defensive stronghold named Tsaritsyn, it was renamed Stalingrad in 1925 and Volgograd in 1961. The city was besieged and severely damaged during a prolonged battle in World War II, with extensive casualties of both German and Soviet troops. Population: 1,030,000. |
City located in southern Russia, amid the lower Volga and Don Rivers.
Note: The city is a major commercial and industrial center.
Note: From 1925 to 1961, it was named Stalingrad. During the brutal winter of 1942–1943, a huge German invasion force besieged the city but ultimately failed to take it. The German defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad was a major turning point in World War II, marking the beginning of the end for the Nazis.