Albazin was the first major Russian fortress on the Amur River. In June 1685, a heavily outnumbered garrison of roughly 450 Russian Cossacks, soldiers, and peasants led by Voivode Alexei Tolbuzin was surrounded by a massive Qing Dynasty (Manchu-Chinese) army of around 15,000 troops and 150 artillery pieces
Despite facing overwhelming fire that quickly splintered the wooden fortress walls, the defenders fiercely repelled waves of assaults and refused to surrender for days.
Kamynina’s 2021 painting highlights the raw courage, determination, and tactical grit of the defenders in the heat of battle. It portrays the clash of cultures, weapons, and early gunpowder warfare on the remote Eurasian frontier.
Though the defenders eventually had to negotiate an honorable retreat after running out of ammunition, they returned just months later to rebuild the fortress, leading to an even more legendary second siege in 1686.