Digging for their lives: Russia’s volunteer body hunters

Anyone of knows the story of the siege of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) knows that millions died. Soviet soldiers and residents of Leningrad, as well as German soldiers (the would be conquerors). It is an epic tragedy in an epic military battle.

This article isn’t about that. Its about the millions of soldiers that were left where they died. Never buried, families left wondering.

Reburying with dignity

Of the estimated 70 million people killed in World War Two, 26 million died on the Eastern front – and up to four million of them are still officially considered missing in action. But volunteers are now searching the former battlefields for the soldiers’ remains, determined to give them a proper burial – and a name.