The change of communities is a natural part of the biology of ecosystems, therefore all those territories that were once borrowed by man from the forest for arable land, being abandoned, are gradually returning to their possession wildlife. But the forest does not always just grow back in the fields. Some low-lying areas, being deprived of a root frame, gradually become swampy; in others, natural meadows with dense forbs. First of all, everything depends on the soil and on the surrounding forests, that is, where, in fact, the forest advance begins.
Photo by Ilya Viner
One of the most active in the development of new territories is lupine. This whole family plants, however, in the European part of Russia the most common is polyfolia lupine.

Photo by Ilya Viner
Originally common in the northern United States and Canada, this species was brought to Europe for its beautiful flowers and useful qualities(lupine tubers accumulate nitrogen, so the plant is considered useful as animal feed, green fertilizer, or simply as ornamental plant. However, lupine has one serious drawback - it completely displaces other plants, not least due to its height and wide leaves. For Norway and Finland, lupine has become a real disaster, crowding out plant biodiversity in already scarce forest areas and meadows. Now in these countries, as well as in Norway, it is prohibited for planting; sometimes particularly powerful thickets are deliberately destroyed.
In Russia, multileaf lupine can often be found in country and country gardens. From there it ends up on roadsides, empty fields and quickly spreads throughout the surrounding areas.

Photo by Ilya Viner

Lupine thickets prevent the advance of the forest, since under the shade of the leaves the young trees do not receive enough light. By the way, similar, but natural for middle zone The Russian species are fireweed and common willowweed.

A field overgrown with common gooseberry and multileaf lupine. Photo by Ilya Viner

Lupine multileaf on sandy soil. Photo by Ilya Viner.

Lupine bushes appear first in the spring and immediately block the light for other plants.

The rhizome system protects the forest from soil erosion and waterlogging. In fields cleared of forest, this process resumes again, and if not carried out special works(which are usually part of the agricultural cycle), a low-lying swamp forms on the site of an abandoned field, sedges appear, midges hatch, amphibians appear, and with them waterbirds.

A swampy field where a lapwing has already settled. Photo by Ilya Viner.

Following the sedge, the wetlands are overgrown with willow

On dry hills, where there is a lot of light, if the area of ​​the fields was not too large, the former fields are simply overgrown with forest: pine, spruce or birch. The wind and birds carry the seeds and a dense forest of small pines or fir trees grows. Then a fierce struggle for survival begins - who will be the first to stretch out and block the light of other trees. But in dry, hot summers, the tallest ones die, and those that were partially covered by their elongated brothers, on the contrary, survive.

Young pines on an overgrown field.

A young spruce forest on the edge of a field.

Most likely, a few years ago there was a woodpecker forge here.

June, forest, field, road
June is a great time to go somewhere, for example, to the south of the Moscow region, to walk along the roads through forests and fields and do a little.

It's time to talk about a wonderful June walk along the roads through forests and flowering fields in the south of the Moscow region in the Ozersky and Stupinsky districts. This walk along forest and field roads took place 2 years ago.

This time the hike began from the village of Boyarkino in the Ozersky district of the Moscow region.

Boyarkino is a neat village. There are houses with signs saying “House of Exemplary Maintenance”.

By the way, no one wants an old house in excellent condition.

In the village of Boyarkino there is a T-34 tank on a pedestal. On the cannon there are colored ribbons of the newlyweds.

The formidable tank reminds everyone that in the village of Boyarkino, Mikhail Efimovich Katukov, Marshal of the Armored Forces, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, was born and graduated from elementary school.

Goats graze very nicely near the houses in Boyarkino.

One of the attractions of the village of Boyarkino is the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in the old hospital building.

From the village of Boyarkino we pass through the village of Sentsovo and along a country road we rush into fields and forests.

Here it is, free will!

There are forbs along the sides of the field road. The carnation grass is pleasing to the eye.

We pass by a small lake.

Amazing flowers grow on the edges of forests.

These are cuckoo's tears or spotted orchis.

Cuckoo's tears or spotted orchis is from the orchid family. In ancient times, sorcerers prepared a love potion from orchis roots.

Forget-me-nots bloom blue along the edges of the field road.

The road dives into a birch forest.

There is a forest lake somewhere on the map on the left.

I went to take a look.

But the forest lake dried up and was overgrown with grass. It's a pity!

However, along the shores of the dry lake there were a lot of wild strawberries. Enjoyed it.

While I was picking strawberries, a butterfly flew in to inquire: what is that in your backpack?

The road beckons me into the distance with shady forests.

In the forest clearings under the treetops, there is fresh green sap in the grass.

After the recent rains there is mud in some places.

Here the road passes through the dead spruce forest. A bit gloomy.

And among this forest twilight beautiful butterfly- Ribbon artist Camilla.

In the thicket of a birch forest, an oak grows, a young hero. Time will pass, and he will push everyone around with his broad shoulders.

Linden forests are sweetish.

But poplars add bitterness.

Right on the forest road, poplars have recently hatched. Maybe they will grow for another 60-80 years.

Here and there in the forest, bluebells greet me.

A forest road in dense hazel trees is like a green tunnel.

It feels like there is an opening at the end of the forest road.

And sure enough, from the forest twilight we break out into the open spaces of the fields. Grace!

Common cornflower or popovnik is luxurious (not to be confused with chamomile!).

Among the cornflowers, purple bells ring quietly.

Flower rivers flow between young birch trees.

The silky panicles of the thin bentgrass sway in the wind.

The island in the field is a ground reed grass.

But the white tender bedstraw is soft.

The purple bells are especially good among the white foam of the soft bedstraw.

And at the very depths under the meadow grasses, the flowers of loosestrife or meadow tea turn yellow.

The flowers of the loosestrife attract bees not with nectar, but with the fatty oil secreted by the petals, which the bees use to prepare bee bread - “bee bread”.

And here is a sea of ​​blooming clover.

It's a pity that not a single cow is visible in this rural area. Let's try some fresh food.

The outskirts of the village of Rechitsa are marked by old willows.

Near the village of Rechitsa, to the right of the road there is a luxurious emerald field. The wind is blowing, driving the clouds.

Beyond the field, the road rises into hills with birch groves.

Cloud, cloud, take a flight!

Here and there along the edges of the road there are yellow-blue flowers of Ivan-da-Marya or oakberry.

We are moving west to Aleshkovo. There's one of them.

We enter a large and once luxurious estate, which was built at the beginning of the 19th century by P.A. Novikova. Since the mid-19th century it belonged to General P.A. Kozhin. And since 1870, S. Shcherbakov’s factory was located here.

The estate in Aleshkovo is located on the top of a hill, from which wonderful views open up.

At the very top of the hill in Aleshkovo is the Assumption Church built in 1819.

Three guys from Moldova, under the leadership of foreman Dima, are working on the restoration of the Assumption Church in Aleshkovo. They say they are trying very hard. After all, they are Orthodox.

The Aleshkovo estate is striking, firstly, with its ancient linden alley.

We will enter it and take a walk.

Under the crowns of linden trees there is dense shade and coolness. Up there, the linden trees are getting ready to bloom.

Secondly, an ancient apple orchard has been preserved in the Aleshkovo estate!

Incredibly, these apple trees are over 100 years old! How do you like the apples of the 1916 model?

Thirdly, I admire the greatness of Nature.

Soon, nothing will remain of the once numerous buildings, which included the main house, outbuilding, horse yard, water tower and barn.

They will be swallowed up by the trees, like the Aztec cities in the jungle.

I always tell summer residents I know: don’t build houses to remember yourself, but plant trees.

Estate pond in Aleshkovo. Beautiful places

around the estate in Aleshkovo. Gentle hills, forests, meadows. The Lugovaya River originates here and flows into.

From Aleshkovo we go west to the village of Sukovo.

The road goes through amazing forests. Pine forests.

Around the forest road, birch trees grow here and there among the pines. The ruins of the Church of the Kazan Icon have been preserved in Sukovo Mother of God

Built in 1745.

And in Sukovo there is a wonderful pond at the source of the small Kozova River.

On a hot day it is good to swim in it.

In general, there is a good aura in Sukovo. Children on the streets say “hello” to strangers.

From Sukovo we continue moving west along the forest road to the village of Botaiki.

The road goes through excellent mixed birch and pine forests.

Here and there along the road there are ferns as tall as a man. It stands like a wall. It is no coincidence that this type of fern has a proud name - bracken (common).

Near the village of Botayki, the road from the forest opens onto an expanse of fields.

On the outskirts of the village of Botaiki there is an apiary with beekeepers. Judging by the inscriptions on the hives, they make the right honey.

A bride lives in the village of Botaiki.

At the western end of the village of Botaiki are the ruins of the Church of the Nativity of Christ, built in 1828. Judging by the surviving columns, the Church of the Nativity in the village of Botaiki was very beautiful.

From the village of Botaiki the road leads us west to the village of Gorodishchi.

It's getting dark.

The slanting rays of the sun highlight the bright blue flowers of the common bruise. This plant is a good honey plant.

An annual small petal blooms at the edge of the forest. This flower, by the way, comes from North America. Before the village of Gorodishchi the road goes through with hundred-year-old pine trees. This forest looks like a park.

In the village of Gorodishche our walk along forest and field roads ends.

From here by bus to Stupino, and then by train to Moscow.

This is how the 36-kilometer (with all the circles) June hiking trip through forests and fields along the roads of the south of the Moscow region in the Ozersky and Stupinsky districts turned out.

So many discoveries in one day!

Many thanks to Professor Sergei Viktorovich Chebanov for a number of valuable botanical comments!

In 2004, on an ancient earthen rampart near the Mullovka point in the Melekessky district of the Ulyanovsk region, a pillar was installed with the inscription “Here was the border of Russia from 1656 to 1736.” We are talking about the Big Zasechnaya Line. The unique defensive line was a continuous chain of fortifications thousands of miles long, protecting the country from complete extermination for hundreds of years. Dozens of large and small cities in our outback, which are the heart of Russia, which, in fact, are Russia, arose as border fortresses of the Chertya!

Wild Field Our ancestors lived in a forest zone, their lands occupied vast territories, and the borders in the south coincided with the natural line of transition from forest to steppe. Further on stretched the world of nomads - the Wild Field. Its owners changed: Khazars, Pechenegs, Polovtsians... The steppe lived by predatory raids, and to protect its lands from it, Rus' built defense lines in dangerous directions. Thus, in the middle Dnieper region there are remnants of the “Serpentine Ramparts”: 2000 years ago they helped the Russians hold back the Sarmatian nomads until reinforcements arrived. Later Old Russian state

surrounded Kyiv with fortresses connected into continuous lines: Posulsky, Trubezhsky, Porossky and Dnieper. They were guarded by border guards - small replaceable combat groups. Receiving the first blow of the enemy, they sounded the alarm, and powerful garrisons of fortified cities entered the field. And then everything changed: quarrels between greedy princes, war against their own... The mighty country was torn into shreds of principalities; created with great difficulty one system border protection collapsed. The Mongol-Tatars easily took the distant defensive belt on the Sluch-Goryn-Teterev rivers, main line

The problems of the Steppe persisted even after liberation from the yoke. Fragments of the Golden Horde - the Crimean, Kazan, Astrakhan khanates and the Nogai Horde - began to regularly bite into Rus'. Beyond Tula, the forests turned into endless steppes. A fertile climate, fertile soils, vast meadows - and everything was deserted. The ancient hierodeacon Ignatius wrote: “Not a city, not a village, not a single soul is visible!” The Russian peasant's plow had already touched these unique black soils, but living here was mortally dangerous. Roads led through the Wild Field from south to north - ancient steppe roads, unimpeded and without water barriers. The most significant was the Muravsky Way, trodden all the way from the Crimean Perekop to Tula. The Sarmatians and Scythians also walked along it, and Mamai’s army marched to the Kulikovo field. From the 16th century Shlyakh became a headache for growing Rus'. Horse sakmas (paths) fanned out from it, leading predators through the villages where Russian grain growers, beekeepers, hunters, and fishermen tried to take root. A wild robbery began, “everything down to nails from buildings and horseshoes from the hooves of a fallen horse” was taken away. But the main prey was people. Old people were killed, others were taken away to be sold into slavery. It was a direct extermination of the population of border Rus'. There was even the concept of “choosing a village,” that is, driving away all the inhabitants. The human losses were so great that Moscow introduced a special tax to ransom the Polonians; it was paid by both the tsar and his subjects. The bandits were paid through intermediaries, even giving 250 rubles for a commoner, huge money at that time! But there were also the roads of Izyumsky, Kalmiussky, Bakaev, there was the Nogai road from Kuban - a horse horde was coming from everywhere to Rus'. The path north was not so far for her; In winter, she easily took water barriers across ice, leading up to 80,000 warriors in a raid. During the summer harvest (this makes it easier to catch people in the fields), smaller forces, up to 20,000 sabers, went to Rus'. The horde moved to the border in a long column, and then divided into 10–12 detachments in order to hide its numbers from Russian patrols.

Rus' paid the nonentity - Crimean Khanate- a shameful tribute, “so as not to bother the filthy ones”! But the “filthy” became impudent, violating treaties and continuing the genocide. Instead of a burned village, a new one can be built, but who should build it? Southern Rus' was emptying. The Shah of Persia, receiving ambassadors from Moscow, was surprised that there were still people there. It was necessary to transfer the fight against the enemy to his territory, to the steppe. This required strengthening the lines.

Belt Holy Mother of God

By the beginning of the 16th century. Rus' united. It became possible to create a single line of defense. It was built on the left bank of the Oka - flowing from west to east border river between Russia and the Wild Field, calling it “The Shore”. In a dotted line (fortresses, monasteries, forts, earthworks, ditches, watchtowers) he walked from Serpukhov to Kolomna, where the Oka, high in water due to the confluence of the Moscow River, could no longer be crossed. To the west it became smaller, and to block the enemy, its bottom and banks were simply hammered with sharp stakes, fords were blocked with piles, logs with protruding spokes were laid on the bottom, and its shore was reinforced with abatis and cannons. Most often the Tatars were stopped on the Oka. The shore had permanent garrisons that conducted reconnaissance and took the attack; it became a reliable defense of Moscow, and it was called the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary. But the belt was not continuous, each city built a line to the right and left of itself, the abatis were just beginning to stretch towards each other, into a single line.

Zaokskaya line

With the beginning of the Kazan campaigns of Ivan the Terrible, the defense was moved further south, setting up a grandiose line between the Bryansk and Meshchera forests, relying on fortified cities. Behind a short time They made a lot of notes, naming them by city: Kozelsky, Kashirsky, Venevsky, Tula, Krapivensky, Odoevsky, Likhvinsky, Peremyshlsky, Belevsky, Ryazansky. Unlike the Coast lines, they were immediately led in a single line, building a defense in depth. In treeless areas it doubled (between Tula and Venev), tripled (Belev-Likhvin), quadrupled (Belev-Przemysl). The southeastern flank was held by the Ryazhskaya abatis, which was especially important, because the Muravsky Way, the direct route of the Tatars to Moscow, exited here. The line was also strengthened from the north in order to beat the enemy coming from the raid. The work was completed in 1566. The line, unprecedented at that time, stretched for 600 km and was called the Zaokskaya line, since it ran along the right bank, “beyond the Oka”. Its depth ranged from 40–60 m (where there was only a ditch, rampart or swamp) to 40–60 km! From positions well anchored in the terrain, the entire area was covered by rifle and cannon fire; every 200 m (shot range) the shaft had a protrusion-redan so that there were no dead zones. The former simple fences made of fallen trees became a complex defensive system; no effort or money was spared on it. The Zaokskaya line clearly expressed the unity of Rus'. It became state-owned, with an army to protect it and the participation of the population in its development.

Large Serif

But this was not enough: with the expansion of the borders, new grandiose defensive lines deployed to the south. After the annexation of Left Bank Ukraine, the Belgorod Line, 800 km long, was quickly (1635–1658) built in the south, covering the Kursk region. It was structured in the same way as Zaokskaya. There were no dense forests here, and it was necessary to build not fences, but other defensive structures. Here old cities were strengthened and new ones were built (20 cities in 15 years!). At the same time as the Belgorod, the Simbirsk and Zakamsk abatis lines were built in the Middle Volga region. The boundary formed by these three features stretched for 2000 km from Kharkov to the Volga region. By the end of the 17th century. it was supplemented by the Izyum/Syzran aquifers (600 km). In the 18th century completed the Orenburg line, cutting off the Nogais from the Kazakh steppe, and the total length of the borders in Russia was 3,700 km. The Serif has really become Big! Construction was controlled from Tula, the center of defense of the southern borders of Rus'.

"Gardarika"

The Scandinavians called Rus' the word “Gardarika”, “country of cities”. There were many of them. In the west the onslaught of Poland, Lithuania, Sweden and the Germans Livonian Order They were met with a multi-tiered high-rise defense, embodied in free-standing stone multi-tower fortresses: Novgorod, Pskov, Smolensk, etc. In the south and east, numerous mobile nomads pressed forward - they were met by horizontal multi-lane defenses, wooden fortresses with abatis. On the Bereg line there were 9 cities from Kozelsk to Nizhny Novgorod; The Zaokskaya line already included more than 40 cities; The Belgorod area consisted of 27 fortresses, then 29 new ones were added. The cities had garrisons of 500–1500 sabers and a large number of guns (up to 37 in Rylsk); significant forces were constantly stationed in the fortresses of the internal lines, ready to rush to the front line. In the end, the fortresses were blocked by all the roads along which the enemy came: Muravsky was blocked by Tula, Nogaisky by Kozlov, Tambov, Lomov; Izyumsky / Kalmyksky roads - fortresses Userd, Yablonov, Efremov. In 1615, the border cities were divided into 5 departments: 1) Ukrainian-internal, 2) Ryazan, 3) Seversky, 4) Stepnoy, 5) Lower. “Special zones” were created - 12 “custom cities” with counties, where it was not allowed to give land to any ranks, so as not to interfere with the local guards protecting the Line.

Cities had 2 fences - an outer one (okolny grad, okhaben or krom) and an inner one (Dneshny grad, detynets or kremlin). At first they were round, but then they straightened out, because with a rounded wall there is a dead zone. In the corners and on long sections of the wall, towers were placed 10–12 m high, protruding 2–3 m beyond the wall. They were square/hexagonal in shape, several floors, fire (for cannons/throwing machines) and passage (with gates). The tallest was a watchtower with a watchtower. Attentive, vigilant warriors were taken as sentinels, recognizing their own from afar by their gait, monitoring the area around the clock and sounding the alarm even at the hint of danger. Inside the fortress they built a temple, a governor's house, barns, a powder magazine and a siege yard to shelter surrounding residents during a raid. Everything was done to repel an attack from both the southern and “Russian” sides, with the possibility of shelling the inner courtyard. Although the nomads did not have artillery, abatis fortresses were built taking into account cannon combat and defense against other possible enemies.

Notching technique

Natural obstacles were included as much as possible in the defensive line: rivers, swamps, ravines, rocks, but they were also “finished.” In the dense forest between the fortresses and forts, continuous fences were made hundreds of kilometers long, a natural-man-made fortress through which “no one walked, no gray beast prowled, no black raven flew through.” This was a strip of rubble 50–100 m wide, for which part of the forest was “marked”: the trunks were cut down at a height of 1 m and felled crosswise towards the enemy, to the south, without being cut off from the stumps, so that the trees, lying in the rubble, continued grow. The tops and branches were sharpened, everything was tied with ropes made of bark, and it was impossible to remove the rubble. In addition to the simplicity and speed of construction, the fence was most often impassable even for a person on foot. In the rear, 25 fathoms along it, there was a narrow track along which only a mounted guard rode. Rockade roads were laid behind the notch line. Earthen ramparts were poured into the open forest, ditches were dug, and gouges were made.

Ramparts and ditches stretched for dozens of miles. There were watchtowers within line of sight. The effectiveness of the defense was enhanced by all sorts of little things: wolf pits in the form of a truncated cone with a depth of a person’s height, a bottom diameter of 50 cm, with a sharp stake driven into the bottom; gouges - pointed logs dug in a checkerboard pattern in 4 rows behind the outer edge of the ditch with a slope towards the front; part - sharp stakes driven close to each other in the berm between the wall and the ditch; boards with iron spokes, inverted harrows, slingshots, spears with iron hooks, cast iron cannonballs with spikes, crossbows, etc.

Centuries' Watch

Defense Features were assigned to the serif guard. It lived in its own villages and, when necessary, was reinforced by troops from the city or surrounding villages (1 person from 20 households/from 3 households 15 km from the Line/from 5 households 25 km from the Line). She received gunpowder and lead from the treasury. It was a major task of abatement, damage control, and “removal of gunfire” by the local population. For conscientious service, watchmen were given increased land allotments and monetary rewards. In the 3rd year of service, 3 rubles were given to buy a second horse. When changing guards, the old ones vouched for the new ones. Everything was done to densely populate the Cherta strip. Serving Tatars and the local aboriginal population (Mordovians) served as guards. The terrible king wisely ordered to take the fugitive people into guard! Serfs, criminals, and simply in search of a better life fled here. According to the decrees they were forgiven and accepted into service; Even the Smolensk gentry, captured in the war with Poland, were settled for a time or “for eternal life.” All these people received land, were exempt from taxes, and when the enemy appeared, they fought for their homes and thereby for the rest of Rus'. Soon the number of settlers grew so large that they fielded up to 35,000 horsemen!

The guard functioned clearly along the entire steppe border from the Dnieper to the Volga, was strictly controlled, and those who were negligent were punished. They served in such a way “that there would not be a single hour without guards until the heavy snow fell.” Forward posts conducted constant surveillance from the ancient Scythian mounds, visible to this day in the south of Russia, and sentinel and signal towers were set up at a direct visibility distance. The news of the enemy was conveyed using smoke and mirrors. For better visibility and to deprive the enemy cavalry of food, extensive grass burning was undertaken. Usually the enemy was discovered even before he approached the Line, the inhabitants were hidden in fortresses, livestock in the forests, and garrisons went to positions with the task of delaying, exhausting, and weakening the enemy. In 1572, the guard service played a significant role in the total defeat of the Crimeans at Molodi.

In addition to the stationary guards, there were also mobile patrols on the Devil. From April 1 to December 1, villages, mobile outposts of 50–100, walked in the Wild Field, patrolling the border sector assigned to them, 30–50 km wide. The personnel were divided into 8 lines, each serving for 2 weeks. By July 15, the entire squad was exhausted, and the second line began in the same order. If the weather was favorable for a raid, patrols began earlier and ended later. When the autumn thaw made the roads impassable, everyone returned home, and until early spring the border was not guarded by anyone. Advanced patrols were sent from the villages - guards with a force of up to 6 people, who went on 4-5 day marches from the Line; lying on the steppe sakmas and fords, they watched their area. Seeing the dust of the moving horde, they galloped with a message to the next watchman, and so alarm quickly spread to the fortress.

The Cossacks took an active part in creating and protecting the abatis lines, covering especially dangerous directions. The “Ryazan Ukraine” from the Don/Azov side was obscured by the “Ryazan” Cossacks. Well familiar with local conditions, they pursued the Crimeans in the Wild Field, recaptured prey and prisoners. The “Putivl” Cossacks guarded the Seversky lands along the Dnieper from the Lithuanians. On the Volga and “Kazan Ukraine” there were “Meshchersky” Cossacks - detachments of Tatar service princes with a center in Kasimov. The “Donetsk” guarded the Muravsky Way, the “Shatsk” guarded the Nogai road. There were Cossacks “Sevryuks”, “Belomestnye”, “Gorodovye”, etc. Cossacks played an important role in the steppe patrol, all year round tracking the enemy, maintaining communication between lines. Their exact numbers at the end of the 16th century: Putivl - 138, Ryazhsk - 500, Yelets - 600, Novgorod-Seversky - 103, Pronsk - 235, Mikhailov - 400, Dankov - 500, Dedilov - 376; in the middle of the 17th century. the number reached 15,000 sabers. Long-range reconnaissance, which went into the steppe hundreds of miles from the guard line, was also carried out by the Cossacks.

Management: “the sovereign’s business”!

The state vigilantly monitored the condition of the Line. The Pushkarsky order with clearly defined functions was responsible for it. The population paid a tax to strengthen the Cherty (“Zasetsk money”). The border lands were governed by governors appointed personally by the sovereign. In the fortresses there were military commanders, siege leaders, and garrison commandants. Administratively, the notches were divided into links with a manager, the notch head, who was obliged to “meet the enemy with every kind of combat.” He sent reconnaissance, monitored the serviceability of fortifications, organized “tithe plowing” of land to replenish state grain reserves; The serf clerks and watchmen were subordinate to him.

The abattoir forests were under a protected regime: it was forbidden to plow, mow hay, cut down trees, hunt, pick mushrooms, berries, and even just enter the forest, “so as not to put stitches.” For damaging structures and cutting down they were fined and even executed! A fine was also collected from the guards. It was possible to pass through the apertures only in certain places- gates. The results of the patrol and work were to be reported to the sovereign himself! And the acceptance of the Zaokskaya line was carried out by Ivan the Terrible himself, who traveled around it for a whole month with “all the service people.” There were rules for inspecting the cells (“are there any bare spots”); arrangement of blockages (“carry wood for the tine from outside, and take cut-off trees only for blockage, so as not to expose the cut-off”); work orders. Zasechnoe business reached a high level in Rus', the complex of border protection was maintained at high level for centuries.

Result

Hundreds of battles took place on the Devil. The chronicle reports about the raid on Tula in 1518: “The roads were marked and many Tatars were beaten in the forests, drowned in the rivers, and others were caught alive.” A huge horde was repelled in 1521 and 1531 near Belev, in 1534 - on Bobrik near Belev; in 1565 they successfully fought back in Bolkhov. Going on raids every year, the enemy managed to break into Rus' only 2 times in 38 years (1558–1596). He succeeded, as a rule, with the help of traitors. So, in 1571, boyar Sumarokov led the horde through the abatis and the Oka - and Devlet-Girey burned Moscow, killed 60,000 residents, and took the same number into captivity.
The Russians invented “cutting” forests at the dawn and used them until the 19th century. Considering the length of the borders, the terrain, the tactics of the horse nomad, abatis were the most optimal military-engineering method of protecting Russian land.

From our dossier
A small fortification was a fort. It had a rectangular shape, a tyn with loopholes, 4 towers in the corners and 1 gate, 2-3 guard huts. Outside, a circular dry/water ditch 3 m deep was made at a distance of 1.5 m from the tyn. Effective against an enemy unskilled in military affairs, forts were used on the borders with nomads; they were residential, with a population, and stationary, for service in shifts of 50 soldiers.

From our dossier
“Bird’s nest” observation posts were made (“on tall trees sit day and night, holding ready bodies with birch bark and tar, which to light in view of the enemy"). Here and there “gaps” were left in the defense in order to let the enemy into the depths of the enemy, encircle and destroy. Complex labyrinths in the centuries-old forest led the column, opening clearings and awakening the hope that “this damned forest will soon end,” because “The Steppe is afraid of the forest.” The stranger did not suspect that dozens of vigilant eyes were watching him. And then suddenly it turned out that there was no way further, the beating of the “uninvited” began, and they left their lives here, coming for the lives of others.

From our dossier
A typical example: the ancient Russian fortress of Sudzha at the intersection of ancient Slavic routes to southern seas and Tatar paths to Rus'; it was surrounded by 3 rivers, swamps, a moat, a rampart, oak walls with 14 towers and 4 gates; outside there were wooden-earth bastions with cannons/arquebuses; inside, in case of holes in the walls, there were rolling log houses. Drawbridges led across the moat and the river. In the center stood the Ilmov fort with a high travel tower. Here was the governor's courtyard, a guard hut, and a powder magazine. There were 260 courtyards in Sudzha, and another 522 courtyards behind the wall. In the 18th century the fortress has lost military significance, and there were no traces left of her.

From our dossier

Anti-window and anti-personnel obstacle “garlic”: a three-dimensional figure of 4 sharp steel spikes connected at an angle of 120° to each other along all planes. The length of the spikes is 5 cm, thickness 1 cm, they can be jagged, like on a fishing hook. The shape of the product always ensures that it is positioned with one spike facing upward, while the rest provide stable support. Virtually invisible in grass and snow; application is effective with a minimum of three products per 1 m2 and a field depth of 100–150 m. Effective against cavalry; when attacked, the thorn pierces the hoof and incapacitates the horse immediately (when falling, it crushes the rider under it), in the best case, he is out of action for months, remains lame, in the worst case, he dies a few days later from blood poisoning. Near Poltava, the flanks of the Russian army were covered by 6,000 pounds of “garlic”; near Borodino - already 72,000 poods, which thwarted Napoleon’s plan to bypass the Russian left flank with cavalry; in 1914, the reserves of “garlic” in the warehouses of the Russian army amounted to 400,000 poods, but it was not used. In Vietnam, the Yankees tried to use boots with steel plates in the soles for protection, but with a density of more than 1 item per foot area, “garlic” slows down movement even in special shoes with thick soles. The formation of the attackers is disrupted, they are concerned about protecting their legs, they have no time to fire at the enemy.

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