ORGANIZATION OF DEFENSE OF THE RUSSIAN NORTHERN BORDERS IN THE WAR WITH SWEDEN (1788–1790)

The authors analyze the level of readiness of the northern territories of Russia for defense on the eve of and during the war with Sweden in 1788–1790 on the basis of official and clerical documents. The purpose of the study is to find out how the strengthening of the defense of the northern borders of the country was carried out at the timeunder study and to assess the timeliness of their implementation. The scientific novelty of the article consists in acomprehensive study of the measures taken to strengthen the defense of the northern territories of Russia, determiningthe reasons for Sweden’s failure to carry out an attack on northwestern Karelia and the White Sea, assessing theactivities of central and local authorities to solve defense problems in the north of the country. The authors conclude thatthe North of Russia, despite the importance of these territories for the industrial development of the country, thedevelopment of the navy, the provision of the army and navy with weapons, remained poorly protected and only theunwillingness of the enemy to simultaneous actions on the Baltic Sea, in Karelia and the White Sea saved the territoriesof the Arkhangelsk and Olonets governorate from ruin. During the war, all the main tasks to strengthen the defense of the northern borders were completed. The relevance of the study is related to the need for timely formulation and solution of defense tasks by the government of the country.

Russia in the XVIII century, the North of Russia, the Russian-Swedish War of 1788–1790, defense