250 years ago, on April 21, 1770, the ancestor of the great Russian poet Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, the outstanding commander of the Russian Imperial Army Ivan Abramovich Hannibal, achieved one of his numerous victories. During the Russo-Turkish War, Brigadier Hannibal led the Russian landing, and his infantry successfully captured the Turkish fortress of Navarino, whose garrison surrendered to the mercy of the victors.

The historical figure of Ivan Abramovich Hannibal raises many questions. It is still unknown where his father, Abram Hannibal, who became one of the most successful Russian commanders and the founder of Kherson, came from, but he is primarily remembered in history as a relative of Pushkin. According to the most likely version, supported by relatives, Abram Hannibal was the son of an Abyssinian emir, kidnapped by the Turks and gifted to Peter the Great. However, even this version raises many questions.

Despite this, it is clear that both father and son were remarkable individuals, whose contributions are recognized by historians even after two and a half centuries. Abram Petrovich Hannibal became a renowned military engineer, and according to a popular legend, it was he who inspired the great commander Suvorov, as he convinced Alexander Vasilyevich's father to allow his son to choose a military career. Ivan Abramovich also served Russia, achieved numerous victories, and was awarded orders. In 1784, he retired and lived for another 17 years in his estate near St. Petersburg. He is buried at the Lazarevsky Cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where later his grandnephew's widow Natalia was also buried.