Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned Israel on Friday (October 13) against besieging Gaza in the same way that Nazi Germany besieged Leningrad, Reuters reported. The siege of Leningrad (St Petersburg) was one of the most deadly sieges in history, killing an estimated 1.5 million, mostly civilians, between 1941 and 1944. Some 21st century scholars have used the term “genocide” to describe the siege, specifically referring to the systematic starvation and intentional destruction of the city’s civilian population. We take a look at the siege of Leningrad and Putin’s personal connection to it. 872 days With Operation Barbarossa, Hitler decided to...