Battle of Shipka Pass

Battle of Shipka Pass
Part of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
The Defence of the Eagle's Nest, Alexey Popov, 1893
Date July 17–19, 1877 (1st stage) August 21–26, 1877 (2nd stage) September 13–17, 1877 (3rd stage) January 5–9, 1878 (4th stage) Location Shipka Peak and surrounding areas, Ottoman Bulgaria 42°46′0.001″N 25°19′0.001″E / 42.76666694°N 25.31666694°E / 42.76666694; 25.31666694 Result Russo-Bulgarian victory[a]
Belligerents
Russian Empire Bulgarian Legion	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Nikolay Svyatopolk-Mirsky[1] Iosif Gurko[2] Fyodor Radetsky[1]  • Nikolay Stoletov[b]  • Mikhail Skobelev[c] (4th Stage[n.b. 1]) Mikhail Dragomirov (WIA)[d] (2nd Stage[3])	Rauf Pasha[2] (1st to 3rd Stages) Süleyman Hüsnü (2nd to 3rd Stages) Veysel Pasha[6] (4th Stage)
Strength
I stage: 5,000[7] II stage: 5,000 initial;[2] ~2,500 reinforcement 1st day;[2] ~4,000 reinforcement 3rd day[1] III stage: 7,500–7,900 IV stage: 66,000[2] Total: 70,000+	I stage: 4,000[7] II stage: 30,000[7] III stage: 20,000 plus reinforcements[7] IV stage: 36,000+[7] Total: 60,000+
Casualties and losses
I stage: 150[1] or 211[8] II stage: 4,000[2] or 3,600[8] III stage: unknown IV stage: 5,500 total[7] or 1,122 killed and 4,362 wounded[9] Total: 13,500 killed and wounded[1]	I stage: unknown II stage: 10,000[7] III stage: 3,000[7] IV stage: 36,000 captured incl. 6,000 sick and wounded;[7] killed n.a. Total: 60,000[1]
class=notpageimage| Location within Bulgaria Show map of Bulgaria Battle of Shipka Pass (European Russia) Show map of European Russia

The Battle of Shipka Pass consisted of four battles that were fought between the Russian Empire, aided by Bulgarian volunteers known as opalchentsi, and the Ottoman Empire for control over the vital Shipka Pass during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). The final battle is known as the battle of Shipka-Sheynovo or simply the battle of Sheynovo (Russian: Шипко-Шейновское сражение; Bulgarian: Шейновска битка).

In July 1877, four Russian corps crossed the Danube River and entered Bulgaria. Preceding the main Russian army, Iosif Gurko led a detachment of 11,000 men to capture the vital Balkan Mountain passes. In just over two weeks, Gurko had captured three important mountain passes but the main army was held up the day after Shipka Pass fell in the Siege of Pleven. Thus the defense of the pass was left to the Russian vanguard as well as Bulgarian volunteers. The Ottoman Army made two major attempts to retake the pass in 1877, but was unsuccessful, as the Russian and Bulgarian defenders were able to hold the pass against this overwhelming force, playing an important role in the war. The deciding moment of the Shipka campaign, and by extent the war, came in August 1877, when a group of 5,000 Bulgarian volunteers and 2,500 Russian troops repulsed an attack against the peak by a 30,000-strong Ottoman army.

The pass itself crosses the main ridge of the Balkan Mountains near the village of Shipka. It is a part of the main road from North to South, leading from Zistovi by Tirnovo and Eski Zagra to Adrianople.

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