The Road to Tsargrad

In 2012, a Russian squadron commanded by Rear Admiral Larionov put to sea off the shores of war-torn Syria, gripped by a fire of war with terrorism. But somehow, in the Mediterranean Sea of 2012, it unexpectedly found itself in the very same place—only in 1877, where the month-long Russo-Turkish War for the Liberation of Bulgaria is already underway. Russian troops stand on the Danube, preparing for a general offensive. Nothing is decided yet, but, as people from the 21st century know, this war was lost even before it began—thanks to the Reichstadt agreements signed in advance by Chancellor Gorchakov, the blood of Russian soldiers spilled in this war will benefit anyone at all except the Russian Empire. And on the political horizon, the Berlin Congress looms like a dark shadow. Of course, Russian sailors come to the aid of their ancestors without hesitation. The squadron fights its way into the Straits and captures Istanbul—the ancient Tsargrad. But what kind of relationship should be built with the Russian Empire? What to do with the remnants of the defeated Ottoman Porte and with the captured Sultan Abdul-Hamid? What policy to follow toward the so-called “world community,” which is very alarmed by the appearance of powerful extraterrestrial visitors? And above all, this concerns the British Empire, which already considers itself mistress of the world. How to break the world—and above all the European—consensus aimed at limiting and restraining the growth of Russian power? The heroes of this book made their choice, and all subsequent events of world history went down a completely different path…