Volgograd Oblast
A lower-Volga region famed for the Battle of Stalingrad, where the "The Motherland Calls" statue on Mamayev Kurgan is stunning.
Volgograd Oblast lies on the lower Volga in southern Russia. Its capital, Volgograd, was formerly Stalingrad and was the site of a pivotal battle of World War II. The Mamayev Kurgan memorial complex with its colossal statue "The Motherland Calls" and the Battle of Stalingrad Panorama Museum are the main sights, and the city stretches in a long, narrow strip along the Volga. The oblast also has the Volga–Don Canal and steppe landscapes. Spring and autumn have the most pleasant weather, and summer is hot. The capital has an airport and a rail link to Moscow.