USSR commemorative coin

Series: 175 th anniversary battle of Borodino
Monument

Par : 1 ruble

Release Date: 07.09.1987

Mint: Leningrad (LMD) (ST. Petersburg).

The 67-year old General Kutuzov was not seen by his contemporaries as the equal of Napoleon; however, he was favoured over Barclay because he was ethnically Russian (unlike Barclay, who was of Scottish descent), because he possessed the ability to muster a good defense, and because he inspired the complete loyalty of both his army and his subordinates.

The new Russian commander, however, was also unable to establish a defensive position until within 125 kilometers of Moscow; Kutuzov ordered another retreat to Gshatsk on August 30, at which time the ratio of French to Russian forces had shrunk from 3:1 to 5:4. Kutuzov established his defensive line in an eminently defensible area near the village of Borodino, the best defensive position until the Russians reached Moscow. Starting on September 3, Kutuzov strengthened the line with earthworks, including the Rayevski Redoubt in the center-right of the line and three open, arrow-shaped 'Bagration flèches' (named for Petr Bagration) on the left.