A truly great, unforgettable Day is approaching.military glory, dedicated to the valiant and difficult victory of Russian weapons in the Battle of Poltava July 10, 1709. That was a long time ago. A.S. Pushkin dedicated one of his best poems to the battle, which was a turning point for the rest of our country's history. The grueling Northern War for supremacy in the Baltic Sea has lasted for nine years. For six years already there was a "window to Europe" cut through in 1703 - Petersburg. The strongest army of Charles XII in the world at that time, temporarily bogged down in conquered Poland, would not allow the city to flourish on the Neva: the Swedes had already lost Yamburg, Koporie, Tartu and Narva during this year. It was something to become angry and thirst for revenge. And the young Russian tsar gradually transferred military actions to the territory of Poland (Rzecz Pospolita), which, step by step, led to the great battle for the originally Russian, captured by the enemy of the territory. Recall that both Karelia and Izhora lands always belonged to Russia. Moreover, treachery was imminent in Little Russia: Hetman Mazepa made an alliance with the Swedish king, yet having strengthened Karl’s army with war-loving Cossacks. However, the Cossacks were not deceived for long, returning under the banner of the Russian tsar. And now the battle is over.
The total strength of the Swedish army consisted of 11 thousandunits of cavalry and 15 thousand infantry, 41 artillery guns turned towards the Russian troops, and only a couple of thousand Cossacks who remained on the side of Charles in the Battle of Poltava almost did not take part. But in the ranks of the Russian army, 87 infantry battalions fought (37 thousand soldiers), 23,700 cavalrymen, 8 thousand Cossacks! And 102 guns sent death to the enemy ranks. The genius who managed to organize an unprecedented battle by his contemporaries and presented the Day of Russia's military glory is in front of you.
Peter I, called the Great, having won the Battle of Poltava, did everything to ensure that Sweden ceased to be a great power, giving up this honor to Russia.
The battle started the Swedes at 2 am. Nervous.We decided to take by surprise. They captured the first two redoubts out of ten, while the Russians woke up and rebuilt. That's when the fun began. Day of military glory is not formed just like that, its birth is expensive. More than 9 thousand killed Swedes, more than 3 thousand taken prisoner. The Russians are smaller, but also a lot, and it is an inexpressible pity for almost one and a half thousand young people to lose by killed and more than three thousand wounded.
After repeated nightly attempts to master allat 9 in the morning, the Swedes built the remnants of their troops for a decisive blow in longitudinal redoubts of the Russians in order to protect the infantry from the disastrous cannon fire. Russian lined up opposite. Wall to wall. First there was a gunfight, then hand-to-hand combat. The Swedes fought hard, stubbornly and defiantly. Even broke through our left flank. Tsar Peter noticed this in time and in front of the battalion of the Novgorod regiment rushed into the thick of the battle. How is it possible not to win under such circumstances ?! The king was not only courageous, but also cunning. He dressed faded, experienced fighters in the form of young soldiers. At the time, the clothes could tell the whole story of a complete stranger. And Karl XII was particularly well versed in the types of uniforms of the opposing party. I was delighted to see the fledgling recruits, threw people on a breakthrough, but not here it was. The Swedes began to crinkle and surround them from the flanks. Yes, and the core flew straight into the cart of the Swedish king. The army was demoralized, the Zaporozhian Cossacks once again betrayed - they withdrew to the whole camp and left in an unknown direction. Karl, wounded, ordered to raise himself on crossed peaks, appeared to the army, tried to gather him together. But it was too late. The Swedish army was exsanguinated, and another Day of Military Glory appeared in Russia.
At the beginning of the twentieth century on the site of PoltavaBattle Museum was formed. Now it is the National Museum-Reserve "The Field of the Poltava Battle", which serves the living memory of generations. Days of military glory are held annually, a museum, monuments to Peter the Great, Russian and Swedish soldiers are opened for visitors on the territory of the reserve, a place was set up where Peter I was camped, and much, much more. In honor of the bicentenary of the Battle of Poltava, a commemorative medal was instituted. The Day of the Battle of Poltava is remembered not only on the Day of Military Glory and not only in Russia. In addition to the beautiful lines of Pushkin in the poem "Poltava", there is a very readable novel by a modern nonconformist from Ukraine, O. Kudrin, although the story in his novel is presented rather alternatively. Numerous films were made about this time, the opera "Mazepa", and the Swedish heavy metal band Sabaton sings a song about the Battle of Poltava.
