Great Zasechnaya cherta

Zasechnaya cherta (Russian: Большая засечная черта, loosely translated as Great Abatis Line or Great Abatis Border) was a chain of fortification lines, created by Grand Duchy of Moscow and later the Tsardom of Russia to protect it from the Crimean-Nogai Raids that ravaged the southern provinces of the country via the Muravsky Trail during the Russo-Crimean Wars.^[1] It was south of the original line along the Oka River. It also served as a border between the Muscovite State and the steppe nomads. As a fortification line stretching for hundreds of kilometers, the Great Abatis Border is analogous to the Great Wall of China and the Roman limes.

Abatis is a military term for a field fortification made by cutting down trees. The line was built from the felled trees arranged as a barricade and fortified by ditches and earth mounds, palisades, watch towers and natural features like lakes and swamps. The width of the abatis totalled up to several hundred meters. In the most dangerous places the abatis was doubled, trebled etc., the gates and small wooden fortresses were created to check the passers.^[2] Peasants who lived nearby were forbidden to settle or cut wood in the area, but were required by authorities to spend part of their time supporting and renewing the fortifications.^[3] In the autumn, large areas of steppegrass beyond the line were burned to deny fodder to raiders.

Stone and wooden kremlins of the towns were also included in the Great Abatis Line. Among these towns were: Serpukhov, Kolomna, Zaraysk, Tula, Ryazan, Belyov. Other fortresses in the line were smaller ostrogs.