Press releases

MOGILEV, 7 October (BelTA) – The event called Lesnaya – Place of Russian Military Glory will be held in the village of Lesnaya, Slavgorod District, on 11 October to mark the 305th anniversary of the glorious battle, BelTA learnt from the Russian Cultural and Educational Society.

The event will feature a mass in the Church of Saint Apostles Peter and Paul in Lesnaya, a religious procession to the monument Orel (Eagle) and an excursion around the museum. An expo of art works of young people, a quiz and an award ceremony of the winners of the literary competition which highlights the theme of the Battle of Lesnaya will be also held as part of the event. Besides, books from the Government of Russia will be donated to Slavgorod School No.1.

On 28 September (9 October) 1708 Peter I with his army of 12,000 cavalry attacked a 16,000-strong army of General Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt near the village of Lesnaya. Swedish casualties numbered 8,000 killed and about 1,000 captives. Russians lost 4,000 men in the battle. After the battle in Lesnaya the army of King of Sweden Carl XII lost a considerable amount of material resources and was cut off of its bases in the Baltics. Peter I called the victory in Lesnaya the Mother of Poltava Battle. The victory played a huge role in boosting the morale of the Russian army, demonstrated Peter the Great’s outstanding generalship and made a serious impact on the further course of the war.