Vladimir Putin today presided over a number of commemorations ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II. The German defeat in the 200-day long battle was a pivotal moment in the war and is glorified by Russia as the event that saved Europe from Adolf Hitler and as a symbol of the country's resilience. Putin flew to Volgograd, the current name of the city, where he laid flowers and a wreath at the city's war memorial Mamayev Kurgan, as well as posed with a group of young women dressed in historic...