Shipka Pass: The historical defense against Suleiman Pasha

The defense of the Shipka Pass between August 9 and August 23, 1877, stands as a critical historical event. During this period, a Russian-Bulgarian detachment led by General Nikolay Grigoryevich Stoletov faced the forces of Suleiman Pasha, who directed 27,000 regular troops and 34 cannons toward the pass.

Despite being heavily outnumbered, the defending force—consisting of 5,500 soldiers from the 36th Orlov Infantry Regiment and five Bulgarian volunteer units—held their positions under intense artillery fire and severe water shortages. The most intense fighting occurred on August 23, when defenders faced critical shortages of ammunition and casualties exceeded 1,380.

The pass was ultimately secured when General Radetsky arrived with reinforcements, including two hundred Cossacks and a mountain artillery platoon, preventing the Ottoman forces from advancing.