| Russo–Turkish War (1672–1681) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theRusso-Turkish wars andthe Ruin | |||||||
 Czehrin at the bottom and the Dnieper through the middle of the map (the north to the left) | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Ottoman Empire Crimean Khanate Ottoman Ukraine |  Russian TsardomLeft-bank Ukraine Zaporozhian Sich Kalmyk Khanate | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Mehmed IVKara Mustafa PashaSelim I GirayPetro Doroshenko  Yuri Khmelnitsky | Grigory RomodanovskyIvan SamoylovychIvan SirkoMazan Batyr | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 120,000–200,000 (maximum value,1678 campaign) | 70,000–135,000 11,700 Chyhyryn garrison (maximum value,1678 campaign) | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1677 campaign: 20,000 1678 campaign: 12,000–36,000 | 1677 campaign: 8,000 1678 campaign: c. 17,000 | ||||||
TheRusso-Turkish War of 1672–1681, a war between theTsardom of Russia andOttoman Empire, caused byTurkish expansionism in the second half of the 17th century.Is the largest and one of the most important series of military campaigns before theGreat Turkish War.[1]
After having captured and devastated the region ofPodolia in the course of thePolish–Turkish War of 1672–1676, the Ottoman government strove to spread its rule over all ofRight-bank Ukraine with the support of itsvassal (since 1669),HetmanPetro Doroshenko. The latter's pro-Turkish policy caused discontent among manyUkrainianCossacks, which would lead to the election ofIvan Samoilovich (hetman of theLeft-bank Ukraine) as the sole hetman of allUkraine in 1674.
Despite this, Doroshenko continued to keepChyhyryn, an important Cossack town near theDnieper river. He cleverly maneuvered betweenMoscow andWarsaw and used the support of the Turkish-Tatar army. Finally, the Russian and Ukrainian forces under the command of Samoilovich andGrigory Romodanovsky besieged Chyhyryn and forced Doroshenko to surrender in 1676. Leaving a garrison in Chyhyryn, the Russian and Ukrainian armies retreated to the left bank of the Dnieper.
The supply of Ottoman forces operating inMoldavia andWallachia was a major challenge that required well organized logistics. An army of 60,000 soldiers and 40,000 horses required a half-million kilograms of food per day. The Ottoman forces fared better than the Russians, but the expenses crippled both national treasuries. Supplies on both sides came using fixed prices, taxes, and confiscation.[2]
The Ottoman SultanMehmed IV appointedYuri Khmelnitsky, who had been the sultan'sprisoner at that time, hetman of Right-bank Ukraine. In July 1677, the sultan ordered his army (45,000 men) under the command of Ibrahim Pasha to advance towards Chyhyryn.[3] On 30 July 1677, advanced detachments appeared at the fortress, and on August 3 – the main Turkish forces. Samoilovich and Grigory Romodanovsky's army joined on August 10, and only on August 24 did they cross theSula river on the way to Chyhyryn. On August 26–27, a skirmish between their and Ottoman troops removed Ottoman observation posts and allowed the rest of the Russian and Ukrainian forces to cross the river under the cover of artillery fire. Turkish attempts to drop back into the river at the first crossing detachment under the command of Major-General Shepelev were repulsed. Russian and Ukrainian cavalry attacked and overwhelmed the Turkish-Tatar army camp on August 28, inflicting heavy casualties. The following day, Ibrahim Pasha lifted the siege of Chyhyryn and hastily retreated to theInhul river and beyond.[4] Samoilovich andGrigory Romodanovsky relieved Chyhyryn on September 5. The Ottoman Army had lost 20,000 men and Ibrahim was imprisoned upon his return toConstantinople and Crimean KhanSelim I Giray lost his throne.[5][6]
In July 1678, the Turkish army (approx. 70,000 men) of theGrand VizierKara Mustafa with the Crimean Tatar army (up to 50,000 men) besieged Chyhyryn once again.[5] The Russian and Ukrainian armies (70,000–80,000) broke through the fortified position of the Turkish covering force and turned them to flight. Then they entrenched on the left bank of theTiasmyn river opposite the fortress with the Turkish-Crimean army on the other bank. The crossings were destroyed and it was difficult to attack the Turks. The troops could freely enter Chyhyryn, but it was already surrounded by well-equipped siege positions and was heavily bombarded; its fortifications were badly damaged. When the Turks broke into the Lower Town of Chyhyryn on August 11, Romodanovsky ordered to leave the citadel and withdraw troops to the left bank. The Russian army retreated beyond the Dnieper, beating off the pursuing Turkish army, which would finally leave them in peace. Later the Turks seizedKanev and established the power of Yuri Khmelnitsky on Right-bank Ukraine, but did not go toKiev, where the Russian troops were stationed.[7] During the campaign 12,000–20,000 Turkish-Tatar troops were killed, while around 17,000 Cossack-Russian troops were killed or went missing during the campaign.[8] According to other estimates, Ottomans lost over 30,000 troops.[9]
In 1679–1680, the Russians repelled the attacks of theCrimean Tatars and signed theBakhchisaray Peace Treaty on 3 January 1681, which would establish the Russo-Turkish border by the Dnieper.[10]
The result of the war, which was ended by theTreaty of Bakhchisarai, is disputed. Some historians mention it was an Ottoman victory,[a][11][12][13] while another historian contends that it was a Russian victory.[14][15][b][16] While some historians state the war was indecisive (stalemate).[c][17][d][18][19]