Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the Bolshevik faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, returned to Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) after years of exile in Switzerland due to his revolutionary activities against the Tsarist regime. His journey back was facilitated by a secretive train route through Germany, which involved negotiations with the German government, seeking to destabilize Russia during World War I and thus weaken its war effort. Lenin arrived at the Finland Station in Petrograd, where he was greeted by a large crowd of supporters, including members of the Bolshevik faction and other revolutionary groups excited by the prospect of change. His fiery speeches upon arrival galvanized the discontent among the working class and soldiers, further complicating the political landscape already in turmoil following the February Revolution that had dethroned Tsar Nicholas II.

Upon his arrival, Lenin presented his April Theses, a series of directives aimed at the Bolshevik party and a call for immediate withdrawal from the war, redistribution of land to the peasants, and the transfer of power to the soviets (worker councils). These points laid the groundwork for the Bolsheviks to seize power later that year. His return symbolized a critical turning point in Russia's political dynamics. As the war continued to ravage the country, Lenin’s leadership became instrumental in steering the populace towards a radical change, ultimately leading to the October Revolution and the establishment of a Marxist state in Russia.