Bulgarians in the perception of military priests, participants of Russian-Turkish War of 1877–1878

The article is based on published memoirs, notes, letters of military priests who took part in Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. Many of these memoirsare first introduced into scientific sphere and are a valuable source for highlighting many aspects of religious life of Bulgarians, as Russian priests turned their professional eyes to the state of Bulgarian Orthodox churches, to church traditions, the position of the Bulgarian clergy and its relationship with their flock.

The role of the Moscow Slavophils in the release of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke

In 1396 the Ottomans occupied Bulgaria. It disappeared from the world map, becoming part of the Ottoman Empire. In the XIX century Russian society contributed to the spiritual revival of the Bulgarian people. I.S.Aksakovbelieved that Russia should help not only the spiritual revival of the Bulgarians, but also the acquisition of political freedom, lost in the XIV century.On April 12, 1877, Emperor Alexander II declared war on Turkey. At the cost of enormous human sacrifice, the Russian people freed Bulgaria from slavery, which, after 500 years of non-existence, reappeared on the world map. In the modern press, it can be observed that Russia's role in the liberation of Bulgaria from the Turkish yoke is reappraising. Some scholars believe that the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 was not liberating, but conquering, occupying. The article refutes the opinion of false scientists who seek to distort the truth based on archival documents, as well as on the testimonies of eyewitnesses of historical events (including the testimonies of Bulgarian writers of that time - Petko Rachev Slaveykov, Ilya Blyskov, Vasil Drumyov, Ivan Vazov and others). Ivan Vazov called the Russian soldiers "Knights of Good." P.R. Slaveykov wrote: "Russia has given us freedom with its blood."

Vvedenskaya church in the Orel region - the tomb of the general V. N. Lavrov (1838–1877) (based on archaeological excavations)

The author tells about two summer seasons of archaeological work on the clarification and searching for the location of the remains of the Vvedenskaya Church basement, where the general Vasily Lavrov, the hero of the Russian-Turkish War of 1877–1878, was buried.

Russian projects for restoration of the Bulgarian state on the eve of the Constantinople Conference of the great powers 1876

On the eve of the Constantinople Conference in 1876, two projects of the future Bulgarian statehood were developed in Russia. The first of them, which, as directed by Count N. P. Ignatiev was composed by the Russian diplomat A. N. Tseretelev and Secretary of the US dip-lomatic mission, E. Schuyler, provided for the separation of Bulgaria as an autonomous province of the Ottoman Empire. According to the second, developed by N. P. Ignatiev, Bulgaria received administrative autonomy, but the territory was divided into two provinces.

Berlin Congress 1878 and its political implications to the Balkans

The article is devoted to the Treaty of Berlin of 1878 and its aftermaths for the Balkans. The author pays particular attention to the situation in the conflict zones of the region. The Russia’s politics and interests are also under consideration.

Russian-Turkish War 1877-1878 in the cultural and historical memory of Russia according to documents of the State Archive of the Russian Federation

This article provides a brief overview of several documents on the Russian-Turkish war of 1877–1878, which are stored in the State Archive of the Russian Federation. The information contained in these materials allows a more balanced and detailed discussion of the role of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, in the cultural and historical memory of Russia.