Abstract: The Russian-Turkish War of 1877–1878 is the largest foreign policy event in the Russian history of the second half of the 19th century, as well as a significant event in the history of international relations. As a result of the war, the political map and the alignment of political forces in the southeastern part of Europe will change, therefore, the most diverse aspects of the war of 1877–1878 require careful research and rethinking. The subject of the study is the system of measures of preparation for military operations of the Russian–Turkish war of 1877–1878 within the local borders of the coast of the North-Western Caucasus. On the eve of the war, this space would include such administrative units of the Russian Empire as Temryuksky District of the Kuban Region and the Black Sea District, located to the south, which included three departments of guardianship: northern – Novorossiysk, average – Tuapse (Velyaminovsky) and southern – Sochi. The methodological basis of the research is based on the principles of historicism and objectivity, general scientific methods of analysis, comparison, generalization, concretization, etc. They made it possible to comprehensively study and systematize the material, identify historical facts, determine cause-and-effect relationships, and formulate conclusions. In the study, the author pays special attention to the placement of mobilized military units in the points of the Kuban Region and the Black Sea District, the organization of drill exercises and fire training exercises, and the appointment of those responsible for certain areas of defense. For the first time in historiography, the author considers the creation of the Anapa cordon line, designed to protect the north-western part of the coast, which ran from Anapa to Taman inclusive. The article provides data on the quantitative composition and combat capabilities of the Russian Black Sea and Turkish fleets, which could play a key role in the confrontation. The author also mentions the minefields installed in Tsemesskaya Bay after the outbreak of hostilities. The study also revealed the weakest area of defense – the Sochi department of the Black Sea District.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the military operations during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 on the territory of Sochi's Black Sea coast, in particular: the repulsion of Turkish landings near Adler and Sochi; the local military clashes during reconnaissance missions of ungoverned territory south of the river Kherota in the Sochi department; the relationship between the administration of the department and the mountain population of the Kichmay and Krasno-Aleksandrovsky aulys; the issues of the evacuation of the civilian population and the damage of civilian private property by the rebel Abkhazian population, soldiers and Cossacks deployed on the territory of the department; and the impact of the war on the peaceful development of this Black Sea territory. The author used the traditional scientific principles of historicism and objectivity in this research, as well as the traditional methods of analysis and synthesis, the narrative method and the methods of concretization and generalization. This has made it possible to comprehensively study and analyze the source material and to identify causal relationships. A source analysis has allowed the author to conclude that although the war was notable for its small number of military clashes and casualties, the peaceful colonization of the new outskirts of the Russian Empire was temporarily interrupted. After this, it was revived with renewed vigor in the post-war period.