Key Facts
- Duration of battle
- 3 days (20–23 June 1828)
- Russian commander
- General Ivan Paskevich
- Outcome
- Ottoman victory; Russians retreated to Georgia
- Decisive event
- Paskevich seriously wounded by cannon fire
Strategic Narrative Overview
Russian forces under General Ivan Paskevich besieged Kars beginning on 20 June 1828. After initiating the siege, Paskevich opted to storm the fortress rather than conduct a prolonged blockade. On 23 June, a general assault was launched. During the assault, Paskevich was seriously wounded by cannon fire, throwing the Russian force into disarray.
01 / The Origins
The siege of Kars was an episode of the broader Russo-Turkish War of 1828–1829, which arose from longstanding Russian imperial ambitions in the Caucasus and along the Ottoman frontier. Russia sought to expand southward into Turkish Armenia, threatening key Ottoman strongholds including the fortress city of Kars, which commanded strategic routes in the region.
03 / The Outcome
Taking advantage of the Russian confusion following Paskevich's wounding, Ottoman forces launched a major sortie from the fortress. They inflicted heavy casualties on the disorganised Russian army, compelling it to abandon the assault and retreat to Georgia. The fortress remained in Ottoman hands, representing a significant local defeat for Russian arms.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Ivan Paskevich.
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.