Putin recounted how he was stunned upon leaving Leningrad

Putin recounted how he was stunned upon leaving Leningrad.

Consensus

Vladimir Putin recounted a personal memory from his youth about his first trip outside Leningrad.
The trip occurred when he was a teenager and involved traveling to a large city for sports competitions.
Upon arriving at the train station square, Putin was shocked and described feeling 'speechless' or 'stunned'.
He perceived the urban environment as chaotic and lacking a unified city space, despite having many buildings.
Putin linked this experience to his upbringing in the harmonious architectural environment of Leningrad's center.
He emphasized that architectural harmony shapes people's worldview and cultural identity.
The meeting took place in Ulan-Udë, Buryatia, at the Buryat State University.
The event involved urban planners and specialists in urban development and spatial planning.
The meeting was part of a broader discussion on urban development, infrastructure, and the preservation of architectural identity.

The meeting was the first such event in seven years, with the previous one held in 2019 in Kazan. — tg_agentstvonews
The meeting occurred amid intensified Ukrainian attacks on cities in Russia’s European part, including a deadly air strike on Tatarstan that killed 13 people. — tg_agentstvonews
The meeting was held in the context of Putin’s first regional visit since mid-2025, with Buryatia being the fifth federal subject visited after a long pause. — tg_agentstvonews
Participants included Dmitry Alexeev (DNS co-owner), Oleg Shapiro (co-founder of Wowhaus), and sculptor Dashi Namdakov. — tg_agentstvonews
Putin met with Hero of Russia Dashi Munkozhargalov, a veteran of the special military operation, and discussed municipal improvements to military settlements. — vedomosti
Putin noted that the Ministry of Defense is reluctant to release property for municipal use, even if unused. — vedomosti
Putin used the phrase 'he was stunned with surprise' (онемел от удивления). — kommerant
Putin stated that the harmony of architecture 'forms a person's worldview and even a certain cultural code'. — vm
Putin emphasized that creative people and artists create work that becomes national pride and endures through history. — m24