Crimean campaigns

Crimean campaigns of 1687 and 1689 ("Крымские походы" in Russian), military campaigns of the Russian army against the Crimean Khanate. They were a part of the Russo-Turkish War (1686–1700) and Russo-Crimean Wars.

Having signed the Eternal Peace Treaty with Poland in 1686, Russia became a member of the anti-Turkish coalition ("Holy League" - Austria, Venice and Poland), which had been fighting against the Turkish sultan and its vassal - Crimean Khanate. In May of 1687, Russian army (approx. 100,000 soldiers), led by knyaz Vasily Golitsyn, left Ukraine together with the Don Cossacks and cossacks from Zaporozhye. When the Russians crossed the Konskiye Vody river, the Crimean Tatars set the steppes on fire, depriving Russian horses of pastures. As a result, the Russians decided to turn back on June, 17. The Cossacks and Golitsyn demanded from the Russian government to replace hetman Ivan Samoilovich with Ivan Mazepa, because Samoilovich had not approved the war with Ottoman Empire and Crimean Khanate.

In 1688, they started preparations for the second campaign. Poland began to negotiate peace with Turkey, therefore, transferring most of the burden of war to Russia. In early spring of 1689, the Russian army (approx. 150,000 soldiers) headed South. On May 15, the Russians collided with the Crimean Tatars not far from the village of Zelenaya Dolina. Russian army successfully repelled the attack and on May, 20 approached the fortress of Perekop. However, the Russians had to abandon the siege in light of unfavorable ratio of forces and retreat.

The Crimean campaigns of 1687 and 1689 diverted some of the Ottoman and Crimean forces in favor of Russia's allies. However, the Russian army didn't reach the goal of stabilizing Russia's southern borders. The unsuccessful outcome of these campaigns was one of the reasons the government of Sophia Alekseyevna collapsed.