Battle of Kars

The Battle of Kars was a decisive Russian victory over the Ottoman Empire during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878).

In June, 1877 Russian forces attempted a siege of Kars but were driven off by an Ottoman army at the Battle of Kizil-Tepe. In November the Russian commander in the Caucasus, Grand Duke Michael, demanded the surrender of Kars but was refused. The Grand Duke sent a force under Loris-Melikoff and Lazarev Ivan Davidovich to take the city by storm. On November 17 Loris-Melikoff attacked and succeeded in capturing the eastern fortifications and cutting off the garrison under Hussein Hami Pasha. Hussein attempted to cut his way out, but he and only a few others succeeded, as much of the Ottoman army was taken prisoner. The Treaty of San Stephano officially gave Kars to Russia and it remained in Russian possession until the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk after World War I.