ИСТИНА

The actual Russian military-political presence in Syria recalls the events which happened there more than two centuries ago. During the war of 1768–1774 Russia became the first European country that invaded Middle East in Modern times and even for a short period of time occupied its part – the city of Beirut. The new Russian navy’s Mediterranean expedition was organized during the next war of 1787–1791. One of its results should have been the separation of Egypt and the part of Syria from the Ottoman Empire based on secret agreements with the separatist-minded local leaders. The structural crisis during the second part of 18th century loosened links between the center and periphery of the Ottoman Empire. The military and political pressure of the European powers, including Russia, forced separatist-minded regional leaders to look for allies abroad. The Palestinian ruler Dhahir al-‘Umar al-Zaydani expressed the will to turn Syria into Russian protectorate during the war of 1768–1774. In 1774–1790 the Lebanese emir Yusuf Shihab, who secretly confessed Christianity, addressed the Tsarina Catherine the Great at least three times asking to take him under her himaya. The position of the mentioned Middle East rulers was supported by the majority of their confidants, mainly Christians. As to their Muslim subjects from different ethnic groups, social levels and political parties, the elements of opposition were present only in the community of Maghribi mercenaries. The analysis of the attitude of both Syrian elites and other local social groups toward the collaboration with the European country hostile to the Ottoman state sheds light on their mentality and the principles of “friend-or-foe” identification system. The lack of knowledge about the separatist policy of the Arab rulers during the Russo-Turkish wars of 1769–1774 and 1787–1791 can be covered by the analysis of the variety of sources from Moscow and St. Petersburg archives.