2006 was marked by the publication of two very valuable collections for Russian historical science, co-authors of which are a total of 30 scientists and military specialists. These collections continue the glorious tradition of publishing studies of various stages of combat activity and the life of a talented Russian military leader, whose name was forgotten until 1991. If before 1917, according to available estimates, about 60 books were written and published about M. D. Skobelev, then after 1991-6 books and several collections of articles and speeches on Skobelev's topics.

In 2003, the Ryazan publishing house "Service" published the index of literature "Skobelev Mikhail Dmitrievich", which contains 555 titles of books and articles about the general, published from the end of the XIX to the beginning of the XXI century. (until 2003). In 2001, in Yaroslavl, S. L. Vorontsov defended his dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Historical Sciences on the topic "M. D. Skobelev and the military actions of the Russian army in Central Asia in the second half of the XIX century". In 2005, G. Sh. Tsobekhiya defended his dissertation in Moscow on the topic " State and military activities of M. D. Skobelev. Historical research".

All this shows that in various cities of Russia actively engaged in the study of the life and activities of the Russian military leader. Two peer-reviewed papers are a new proof of this.

The Ryazan collection contains 19 reports and presentations made at the scientific symposium dedicated to the 160th anniversary of the birth of M. D. Skobelev and held in Ryazan on September 26 - 27, 2003. These reports and reports are placed in the collection in alphabetical order by the names of their authors. If we classify the reports according to the subject-content principle, we can conditionally group them into three sections: the first will include reports and reports on the historical era in which the general lived and acted, the second - reports directly on his combat activities, and the third - reports on the significance of M. D. Skobelev's legacy for modern Russia.

The first section draws attention to the report of P. Kutsarov (Bulgaria) on the national liberation struggle of the Orthodox Slavic peoples in the Balkans. This struggle could not go unnoticed in Europe, for which this region was of particular importance in the context of the multi-complex geopolitical interests of the East and West. At the same time, the Bulgarian question gradually became of paramount importance in Russia's Balkan policy. The author traces the process of unification of Northern and Southern Bulgaria into a single state, the obstacles created by Western countries and Turkey on this path. Russian-Bulgarian relations were also uneven during this period, although Russia lost 200 thousand of its soldiers and officers in the war that had just ended with Turkey for the liberation of Bulgaria.

In the second section of the collection, we can highlight S. Z. Tulin's report "General of Infantry M. D. Skobelev and his contribution to the development of military art" and V. I. Shaikin's report "Philanthropy as an element of military art in the commander's activity of M. D. Skobelev". S. Z. Tulin gives a general description of his military activity: "Mikhail Dmitrievich went down in history as a highly educated, talented military leader and educator, a bearer of progressive views in the art of war, a desperately brave warrior, a supporter of bold and decisive actions, an opponent of the template, a flexible diplomat, a shrewd administrator and a comprehensive organizer, and in relations with the local population - an outstanding politician" (1, p.116). S. Z. Tulin cites the actions of the commander in Central Asia and Bulgaria as examples. Thus, the actions of the troops subordinate to M. D. Skobelev in the Kokand campaign were exemplary from the point of view of military art. "Everything was exemplary, starting with the study of the situation and determination of targets and ending with the details of the preparation and execution of the planned plans of military operations. A characteristic feature of M. D. Skobelev's Khiva and Kokand campaigns as a military commander were thoroughly prepared for the task itself, and not because he tried to complicate the simple, but because his sense of responsibility never gave way to hope for a chance" (1, p.118). During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, M. D. Skobelev, solving

Comp. by V. I. Shaikin. Ryazan. 2006. 140 p. (1).

Moscow: Skobelevsky Committee of the society "Slavs". 2006. 101 p. (2).

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declaring himself as a military commander, he paid great attention to taking care of the soldier and subordinates in general, organizing food supplies, infirmaries and hospitals. He gave a special place to the role of the moral factor in the training and education of troops. At the end of his report, S. Z. Tulin, himself a major General, concludes that " many of his (M. D. Skobelev - N. K.) military teachings have not lost their significance in the training and education of troops. His style of training and managing the battle, caring for the soldiers and the defeated enemy remain a worthy example to follow " (1, p. 121).

In the report of V. I. Shaikin, based on the study of extensive factual material and the activities of the great commander, an important conclusion is made that "in every soldier Skobelev saw first of all a person and a citizen, a conscious being with intelligence and moral strength. It was to this being that Skobelev tried to appeal, and as far as possible he tried to arouse even in the last soldier a conscious participation in the cause, a sense of honor and civic duty" (1, p.122).

In the third section of the collection, which includes reports and reports on the significance of the legacy of M. D. Skobelev for modern Russia, we can highlight the message of A. F. Agarev "General M. D. Skobelev and the education of state patriotism" and the report of V. A. Krasnykh "Education of cadets on the examples of the life of M. D. Skobelev".

The collection is completed with three appendices about the main dates of M. D. Skobelev's life and activities, about his battles and battles, and about the awards he received.

The second peer-reviewed collection is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Skobelevsky Committee (SK). In honor of this event, a solemn meeting was held at the Military Academy of the General Staff (GSH), which M. D. Skobelev graduated from in 1868, on April 23, 2004. The meeting was attended by the heads of the Academy of the General School and the SC, students of the Academy, members of the SC, representatives of the Russian Noble Assembly, the scientific community, the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow, and journalists. The meeting was opened by the President of the UK, cosmonaut A. A. Leonov.

The main report "One hundred years with the name of Skobelev" was delivered by V. I. Gusarov, Vice-President of the Investigative Committee. He told about the history of the creation of the IC in 1904 on the initiative of the eldest sister of General Nadezhda Dmitrievna Beloselskaya-Belozerskaya (nee Skobeleva). SK was created as a charity organization to help the wounded and disabled in the midst of the Russo-Japanese War. It was called in full " The Adjutant-General Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev Committee for issuing Allowances to soldiers who lost their ability to work in the war."

After the October Revolution, the functioning of the Committee was practically paralyzed, despite the fact that in December 1917, according to the newly approved charter, its cultural and educational activities were supposed to remain outside politics. After numerous reorganizations, renaming, and transformations, the Committee's assets were nationalized, and in April 1918, the Committee's property was restored. it was finally eliminated.

On the eve of the 150th anniversary of the birth of M. D. Skobelev, in 1993, a group of Oriental scientists led by the then director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences M. S. Kapitsa appealed to the government with proposals to mark this glorious date with specific events, but none of them was implemented. In the absence of state support, the Russian public took on the task of restoring the good name of M. D. Skobelev. After studying the state of the Skobelevsky heritage, the initiative group, which included well-known scientists, journalists, public figures, former military personnel and others, decided on March 6, 1995 to recreate the Skobelevsky Committee within the framework of the international public association "Slavs". A. A. Leonov, a pilot-cosmonaut, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, was elected President of the Committee.

In modern conditions, the Skobelevsky Committee, being a public organization, sets itself somewhat different tasks from the original ones. The main one is to restore the good name of the Russian military commander M. D. Skobelev. The main form of work of the Committee was Skobel readings. They were held in various organizations in Moscow and in many Russian cities.

The collection ends with four appendices prepared by V. I. Gusarov. The first of them contains a list of selected publications in the periodical period 1986-2005. on the life and work of M. D. Skobelev, S. K. and the Skobelev readings.

Two peer-reviewed collections will undoubtedly be received with great interest by all those who are interested in the life and combat activities of a talented Russian military leader.

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