The memorial was built in memory of the soldiers who fell during Operation January Thunder on January 14, 1944. As a result of this operation, the troops of the Leningrad Front destroyed a significant group of German troops and, in cooperation with the troops of the Volkhov Front, completely liberated Leningrad from the enemy blockade.
The idea of erecting the monument was first expressed by the commander of the 131st Infantry Division, P. L. Romanenko. On his initiative, the troops began raising funds for the installation of the monument.
A total of 3185 Soviet soldiers are buried in the mass grave, four of whom are Heroes of the Soviet Union: S. P. Palchikov, N. A. Rytov, I. K. Skuridin, A. I. Spirin.