On August 22, 1941, the Red Army began to receive the “narkomiv” 100 grams of vodka. The Chairman of the State Committee for Defense of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, signs Decree No. 562 for soldiers to receive half a glass of alcohol each day.
The supply of vodka to the army was personally managed by the Politburo member of the Central Committee of the CPSU(b), People's Commissar (Minister of Food Industry) Anastas Mikoyan. The commanders of the fronts had to personally monitor the distribution of the drink.
This move by Stalin has its own explanation. On the same day, Nazi troops reached Leningrad. The blockade of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War lasted 872 days.
Wehrmacht troops, under the command of Field Marshal Leeb, blockade Leningrad - all roads and railways are blocked except for the secret “Road of Life”, passing through the frozen Lake Ladoga. The inhabitants of the city suffer enormous hardships, hunger and severe cold kill whole families.
On January 14, 1944, the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts went on the offensive. The aim was to break through the ring and encircle the German army blocking Leningrad between Krasno Selo and Ropshi, which took place on January 18, 1943. The German units were forced to loosen the loop from the city and on January 27, 1943, the blockade around Leningrad was finally lifted .