Soldiers of many European countries committed crimes during the blockade of Leningrad.

According to APA's Moscow correspondent, Russian President Vladimir Putin said this at a meeting with veterans on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the end of the Leningrad blockade.

"In the years of the Second World War, the blockade of Leningrad, which resulted in great losses among civilians, was attended by the troops of fascist Germany, as well as the armed forces of many European countries. Due to a certain tolerance in Russia, and in order not to disturb the background of bilateral relations with many countries, they tried not to talk about it, but the fact remains," Vladimir Putin said.

He noted that it was not the first time that his country faced the occupation of representatives of many European states during the Great Patriotic War: "Yes, it is true, it is enough to open Leo Tolstoy and read "War and Peace".

When he said that the French army came under Napoleon, he meant all of Europe, because by then Bonaparte had controlled all of continental Europe.

Tolstoy describes it all.

The same thing happened during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

"Hitler actually controlled all of continental Europe, and many representatives of European countries participated in the blockade on the Leningrad front and committed crimes," Putin said.

According to the President of Russia, Russia tried not to talk about it because of tolerance and in order not to disturb the background of bilateral relations with many countries: "But the fact is that representatives of many European countries fought against the Soviet people on all fronts of the Great Patriotic War."