Stavuchany

(Stavchany), a village 12 km southwest of Kho-tin, now in Chernovtsy Oblast, Ukrainian SSR.

On Aug. 17 (28), 1739, during the Russo-Turkish War of 1735–39, a major battle was fought near Stavuchany. A Russian army, consisting of about 48,000 men and 250 guns and under the command of Field Marshal B. K. Minikh (Miinnich), approached Stavuchany, where a Turkish army of 80,000–90,000 men under the serasker Veli Pasha held a fortified camp on high ground. The Turkish commander attempted to surround the Russians; Minikh, however, forming his troops into three squares and maneuvering skillfully, repulsed repeated enemy attacks on his flanks and rear. The Russians then distracted the enemy with a feint on the left flank and, with their main forces, attacked the Turkish center, capturing the Turkish camp and putting the Turkish troops to flight. They seized 50 guns and other significant matriel.é The Turks lost as many as 1,000 men killed. On Aug. 19 (30), after the victory at Stavuchany, the Turkish fort of Khotin capitulated, and in September, Russian troops occupied much of Moldavia. Despite the Russian victory, Austria’s withdrawal from the war forced Russia to sign the Treaty of Belgrade of Sept. 18 (29), 1739, which virtually nullified the successes the Russian army had achieved.