Reenactment Marks Bicentennial of Great Napoleonic Battle

Two hundred years after the pivotal battle of the French-Russian war, about 3,000 people participated in a reenactment of the Battle of Borodino on Sunday, September 2.

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Festivities marking the 200th anniversary of the Borodino Battle were held near Moscow. The spectacular reenactment of the clash attracted about 100,000 spectators. This year's Borodino reenactment has already been labeled the most ambitious ever.

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The bloody battle, which took place about 100 kilometers (65 miles) west of Moscow, pushed Russian forces off their positions. Napoleon’s army eventually seized the capital.

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The Battle of Borodino began at six in the morning. However, the reenactment of the clash didn’t kick off until five o’clock in the afternoon.

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The weather 200 years ago was very similar to that on Sunday, so viewers got a rather clear picture of how it all happened in 1812

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The most striking and important events of the clash were reenacted during the 90-minute costume reconstruction. The cavalry, infantry and artillery were all identical reproductions of what’s written in the chronicles about the famous battle.

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“We will win this battle today. And probably it will be the biggest victory in the history of France… I expect victory,” a U.S. actor playing the role of Napoleon I said before the first shots were fired.

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Two centuries ago, the Russian troops withdrew from Borodino in order to win at a later date. The reenacted battle finished with a lineup of all the enthusiasts who had taken part; they yelled “Hurrah!” when Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov rode past.

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The reconstruction involved 2,000 infantry and 300 cavalry soldiers and almost 30 pieces of ordnance.

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The theatre of operations stretched nearly one kilometer.

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About 400 foreigners participated in the event, including many reenactment enthusiasts from France, Poland, Belgium and Scotland.

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The festivities surrounding the 200th anniversary of Russia’s victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 culminated in a parade of military-historical clubs in Borodino near Moscow on September 2.

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The Battle of Borodino occurred on September 7, 1812, during France’s invasion of Russia. Overall, more than 70,000 were killed, wounded and captured.