French invasion of Russia French invasion of Russia The French invasion of Russia, known in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812 () and in France as the Russian Campaign (), began on 24 June 1812 when Napoleon's crossed the Neman River in an attempt to engage and defeat the Russian army. Napoleon hoped to compel Tsar Alexander I of Russia to cease trading with British merchants through proxies in an effort to pressure the United Kingdom to sue for peace. The official political aim of the campaign was to liberate Poland from the threat of Russia. Napoleon named the campaign the Second Polish
Monument to Leo Tolstoy on Prechistenka of the pre-revolutionary works of Merkurov. The figure of the writer seems to grow out of a piece of red coarse granite. His head is slightly tilted. The writer is dressed in a wide blouse, his hands are plugged in the waistband. Monument to Leo Tolstoy on Prechistenka The Monument to Leo Tolstoy on Prechistenka () was installed in Moscow in the courtyard of the State Museum of Leo Tolstoy (11, Prechistenka Street). Granite sculpture was made in 1913 by sculptor S. D. Merkurov. At the present place has been since 1972. In November 1910 the sculptor S. D. Merkurov