На старой смоленской дороге

In the historical story "On the Old Smolensk Road", the famous Soviet poet Nikolai Rylenkov tells about the heroism and courage of Russian soldiers and officers, Smolensk peasants and peasant women who fought against the Napoleonic invaders. The writer collected rich factual material, used the legends and traditions of the times of the First Patriotic War that exist in the Smolensk region, and created a true poetic legend about the loyalty of the Russian people to their native land, about their eternal desire for freedom and happiness. Although the main events of the narrative develop in the Smolensk region and within the borders of the Key-City, as the long-suffering Smolensk has long been called, the reader of this book will get an idea of the war of 1812 as a whole.