Battle of Kinburn

Background. The engagement formed part of the Russo-Turkish War of 1787–1792. Suvorov, a Russian general who had already fought the Turks successfully in 1773–1774 and at Kozludža in 1774, served from 1787 to 1791 under the overall command of Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin. Kinburn became one of his victories in that conflict, alongside later successes at Focșani.

Course of the Battle. After intense bombing, an Ottoman amphibious force of 6,000 troops landed on 12 October 1787 at 9 a.m. on two separate sites: 5,300 on the bank's 'tongue' and the remainder 10–15 versts away at the village of Bienka, with the fleet supporting by fire. The attackers took 10 of 15 trenches, but losses among leaders, flank fire from the Ottoman fleet, and Turkish tenacity forced them back to the fortress; Suvorov then personally led the Russians into renewed, fiercer fighting.

Outcome and Recognition. The hard-won engagement ended with Suvorov wounded twice, saved only through the intervention of the grenadier Stepan Novikov, yet the Turks were routed. For the victory at Kinburn Suvorov received the Order of Saint Andrew, the Apostle First-Called, on 9 November 1787, and later a diamond feather for his tricorne bearing the letter 'K' for Kinburn, dated 26 [15] April 1789.