On July 7, 1882, in the Moscow hotel "Dysso," under mysterious circumstances (officially, heart paralysis), the famous Russian commander Mikhail Skobeleva, hero of Plevna and Shipka, conqueror of Central Asia, passed away at the age of 39.

The newspapers of the time wrote about him as a Russian military genius with a broad Russian soul, born in the vast expanses of limitless Russia. The sudden and inexplicable death of Skobeleva shocked Moscow. Russia and Bulgaria plunged into mourning.

Thirty years later, with funds raised from across the country, a monument to the white general Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobeleva was erected on Tverskoy Boulevard. It stood for six years before being demolished by the decision of the Soviet government. In its place, the first Soviet monument, the Monument to Freedom, was erected, which was later replaced by a monument to Prince Yuri Dolgoruky for the 800th anniversary of Moscow. Today, the Skobeleva monument, created by architect Rukavishnikov, is located next to the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Eternal memory to the Russian hero!