More than 20, 000 residents of the Russian city of Volgograd celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad.<br/> <br />The battle marked on Saturday was World War II's most deadly and lasted 200 days.<br/> <br />Germans and Russians fought street by street and room to room, while enduring Russia's bitter winter cold -- and for Germans -- starvation.<br/> <br />German Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus defied Hitler's orders to fight to the death and surrendered on February 2, 1943.<br/> <br />Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, honoured the sacrifice and resolve of those who fought in the city, which was renamed in the 1960s.<br/> <br />He said while other European cities gave up without a fight, the Soviets gave their lives for every building and street.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE)(Russian) RUSSIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER DMITRY ROGOZIN, SAYING:<br/> <br />"Glory to Stalingrad! Glory to our veterans! Glory to the great victory! Glory to Russia!"<br/> <br />About 920 Stalingrad war veterans still live in the region, with many demanding the city take back its original name of Stalingrad.
