Lake Ladoga, << LAD uh guh or LAH duh guh >>, in northwestern Russia, is the largest lake located entirely in Europe. It covers 6,835 square miles (17,703 square kilometers). Lake Ladoga lies 40 miles (64 kilometers) northeast of St. Petersburg. Along with Lake Onega to the northeast, Lake Ladoga forms part of a canal system that links the Baltic and White seas (see Lake Onega). Ownership of Lake Ladoga was divided between the Soviet Union (of which Russia was then a part) and Finland until 1940. In that year, the Soviet Union took over the entire lake after a war against Finland. During the blockade of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) by German forces in World War II (1939-1945), supplies were taken to the city across the frozen lake.
