Over 110,000 guests watch Battle of Borodino reproduction
BORODINO FIELD. September 7. KAZINFORM. Over 110,000 guests from Russia and abroad attended the Borodino Festival on Sunday. The festival reproduced the Battle of Borodino - the largest and bloodiest single-day action of the French invasion of Russia in 1812, involving more than 250,000 troopers and resulting in at least 100,000 casualties; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.
Members of military history clubs from Russia and Belarus were dressed in Russian and French uniforms. Notably, Belarusian 'hussars' reached the Borodino field near Moscow by horse, the same as their ancestors did in 1812.
The festival started at the 'command posts' of Russian Gen. Mikhail Kutuzov in Gorki and French Emperor Napoleon I near Shevardino. Then wreaths were laid to the Russian soldiers' monument.
The festival climaxed in a replica of the final stage of the Battle of Borodino. 'Commanders' checked the troops' hand-made gear, and over 1,000 participants - 800 infantrymen, 150 cavalrymen and 100 artillerymen with 18 cannons - displayed the two-centuries-old sample of war craft.
The Battle of Borodino was the largest battle of the War 1812, which took place on August 26 and involved about 120,000 Russians and 136,000 French soldiers. The Russians lost 44,000 men killed, and the French casualties amounted to 58,000. The battle started the defeat of the Napoleon army; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass. See www.itar-tass.com for full version.