If the "Star" shines over the Chesme Bay
One year after the anniversary
A year ago, Russia celebrated the Chesme anniversary. More precisely, she still noted, albeit rather modestly, and without fanfare on TV channels. It was July 7, one of the Days of Russian Military Glory.
And even, moreover, during the naval parade over the water area of the Neva, the name of Admiral Grigory Andreevich Spiridov sounded as the true winner of Chesma. And it sounded for the first time and the first among all the glorious Russian naval commanders. On the eve of the great date, the commander of the Black Sea fleet Igor Osipov proposed to Russia to perpetuate the memory of the battle itself and Admiral Grigory Spiridov, who developed the battle plan.
Let us also recall that not long before in Kronstadt, on the territory of the Patriot Park in the Admiralty of Peter the Great, a bust of the triumphant Chesma was unveiled, along with monuments to the best Russian naval commanders. From the time of Peter I - the founder of the Russian fleet - to the present day.
A year later, we celebrated the Chesme victory quite quietly, although the name of Spiridov will one of these days again sound over the Neva during the naval parade. Day after day, the glorious Chesma was remembered only by hanging posters of the Military Historical Society and in historical chronicles of several TV channels.
In the village of Nagorye, Yaroslavl Region, where Admiral Spiridov is buried in the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, few arrived on July 7, 2021, but Bishop Feoktist of Pereslavl and Uglich served a memorial prayer service (On this day we stood in the Admiral's temple. And you?).
At this time, his dagger rested on the grave of the admiral, carefully recreated by the armourers from Zlatoust (Chesma. 250 years later: the return of the admiral).
And only ten days later, on July 17, the Zvezda TV channel, at exactly 12:30 pm, presented its undoubted Chesme masterpiece to a large audience. So, at least, thought its creators - a very numerous creative group.
This, according to the norms of TV: screenwriter, director, producer, artist, composer, leading actors - and whoever was not there. All experienced, historically everything seems to be knowledgeable, without a hitch. With such would work and work!
So here they are all together and each separately, once again revealed to all of us one more fact of a naval adventure from Russian history. From the screen, we were presented with "the truth and only the truth" (but in their TV understanding) about the famous Chesme battle.
Who has won?
This program was released under the heading "Not a fact", sorry for the repetition, on July 17 - on the tenth day after the Day of Military Glory of Russia, marked on the 7th. On this day, again, I repeat, it was the 251st anniversary of the Chesme naval battle, in which Russian naval commanders, sailors and soldiers of the landing battalions drowned the entire Turkish fleet.
I suppose that if this TV project had been created with the help of a boy from the Pereslavl military history club "Sailors Spiridov", everything would be simple and clear. And these boys and girls would have correctly placed accents and justly would have indicated who and who was in this battle.
And, as has long been written about this in all historical and naval tomes, the success of the battle was decided by the daring and thoughtful plan of the commander of the first squadron, the most experienced naval commander Admiral Grigory Andreevich Spiridov, his closest associate Samuel Greig, commander of the second squadron of Rear Admiral John Elfinston, the captains of all ships of the Archipelago Expedition and, of course, sailors and soldiers of the airborne battalions.
But for the creators of the TV show, they all seem to have nothing to do with it. The entire triumph of the victory in the Chesme Bay belongs to Count Alexei Orlov. Known as Orlov-Chesmensky, for which special thanks to Mother Empress Catherine II Alekseevna.
So, it turns out, it is he - Count Alexei Orlov, not at all a professional in maritime affairs, which he himself did not hide, and conceived that very brilliant adventure. It was he, almost personally, if you believe what was broadcast from the screen, equipped the warships, and he brought them to the Chesme Bay.
And who is the real hero?
Let's not argue - of course, it was Count Alexei Orlov who favorably approved the battle plan proposed by the naval commanders and even took responsibility for its outcome. Well, this is how he is - the triumphant Orlov-Chesmensky. The courtier, one of the Empress's favorites, who were called "Catherine's Eagles" for a reason.
The rest are all so inconspicuous - these admirals, lieutenants, sailors and soldiers. Needless to say, if the officer Dmitry Ilyin, who managed to set fire to the first enemy ship, from which later the other ships of the enemy burned, the creative creators of the program did not even bother to name!
But why?
It is better to cram more information about the Turkish naval commanders into the audience - in the brightest colors, respectful words and polished expressions. The enemy was worth it! However, again, victory over a worthy opponent is valued higher!
So why not tell about the captains of our ships - each of them is a Hero, at least the same Stepan Khmetevsky. And about those who died in battle, who died during the Archipelago expedition and now rests without a cross and a monument somewhere on the Spanish island of Menorca.
Are these not facts worth mentioning?
Stepan Khmetevsky - forgotten ally of the triumphant Chesma Admiral Spiridov
Or that the same Admiral Grigory Spiridov took his two sons with him on a long campaign? This, as you can see, is not important at all. And the eldest, Andrei, fell ill, died and was also buried in Menorca.
And the second son of the admiral, Alexei Grigorievich, brought the good news of the triumphal victory to Mother Empress Catherine II in St. Petersburg.
The picture is not the same
Well what are you!
The creators of the TV masterpiece did not bother to talk about this. But in 2020, I personally invited the representatives of the Zvezda TV channel on the Day of Military Glory of Russia to make a trip and shoot a story to the village of Nagorye, where the glorious Admiral Spiridov is buried.
Alas, in their opinion, what kind of picture they can find there: the sad faces of the parishioners at the admiral's grave. The ruins of a temple, which will take years to restore due to lack of funds?
This seemed to them not enough!
It's somehow uncomfortable in my soul from such an approach to plots ...
So remember everything: according to the Zvezda TV channel, we won in Chesme only thanks to the brilliant count's adventure, the sultry July night and the old, long forgotten firefighters. No one in the world even thought about them, but the Russians suddenly remembered then! And they were not mistaken! The entire Turkish fleet was burned and drowned!
Vivat of Russia!
And let it be uncomfortable not for us, but for the creators of teleopuses from Zvezda. Indeed, thanks to them, we also comprehend a different history of the Russian state. And after all, alas, they are not the only ones of this kind in our Fatherland!
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