On January 4 Sofia celebrates its liberation from Ottoman rule that took place within the 1877 – 1878 Russo-Turkish War. On this day 135 ago units from the Western Detachment of the Russian army under the command of Gen. Gurko entered officially the future capital city of Bulgaria. The spot had had millennia of history with its location on a major road, linking Central Europe with Istanbul and it was one of the targets of the Russian invasion to the South.

A military council of the Russian army took place on December 12 in the village of Pordim /North Bulgaria/, chaired by Alexander II. The superior officers at the sitting had to solve the major problem – the crossing of the Balkan Range during the winter months. Defense Minister Milyutin took a chance with his proposal for an unexpected crossing of the mountain, contradicting to all military theories and experience, existing at that time. The emperor was puzzled by the brave proposal and hesitated, but the reasons of Gen. Milyutin and other superior officers convinced him in the success of the operation.

The Western Detachment of Gen. Gurko was reinforced with three divisions, counting up to nearly 74,400 men and 318 cannons. The goal of that new unit was to cross the Balkan Range through the Arabakonak Passage, to smash the troops of Shakir Pasha and, after taking Sofia, to move along the valley of the Maritsa River towards Plovdiv and to hit the Turkish army, situated in Thrace, in the back.

The actions for the capturing of Sofia had a major strategic importance for the further advance of the Russian troops in Thrace, as the city was a major supplier of food and ammo to the Turks. Generals Gurko and Rauch headed to the Sofia Plain with 20,000 men from the Western Detachment, facing 15,000 enemies around Sofia under the command of Osman Nuri Pasha. The battles for Sofia kicked off on December 31 at the village of Dolni Bogrov, situated nearby. After setting to fire the villages of Dolni Bogrov and Botunets the Turkish units attacked the column of Gen. Velyaminov. His troops resisted and counterstroke on January 1. Sofia’s citizens could hear the cannon fire and when the destroyed units of Osman Nuri Pasha returned with many wounded, it became clear that the Russians would soon invade the city.

© Photo: www.stara-sofia.com

The Russian troops entering Sofia (an etching from the Italian press)

The soldiers of Gen. Rauch crossed the Iskar River, using the bridge at the village of Vrazhdebna, as the enemy in front of them was heavily bombed by artillery fire, followed by the attack of the Guard’s Preobrazhenie Regiment. The Turkish soldiers set the bridge on fire with the idea to slow down the Russians, but the fire was quickly extinguished and the march of victory continued. Three more villages were captured to the southeast on January 3, thus cutting off all the chances of the Turks to retreat towards Plovdiv. They risked to be surrounded then. Osman Nuri Pasha issued an order for an immediate retreat towards the town of Pernik, situated to the southwest, abandoning some 6,000 sick and wounded soldiers in Sofia.

Osman ordered Sofia to be set on fire and the ammunition storehouses to be blasted. He only warned the foreign consuls on his decision. Thanks to the energetic interference of Italian Consul Vittorio Positano and his French colleague Leandre Legay the city was saved from burning down. The Italian diplomat organized voluntary units that had to oppose the marauders after the leaving of the Turks. Gen. Gurko was solemnly applauded by the citizens and a solemn church service was performed at the Sveta Nedelya Church downtown. 15 month later the Grand National Assembly selected Sofia for the future capital city of Bulgaria.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev