Mutengo wemishandirapamwe yake, pamusoro pechirongwa chezvematongerwo enyika chinodzvinyirira icho chaida kuti varanda vapedze nguva yavo yese vachishanda munyika yemadzishe avo, chakakonzera kumuka kukuru kwevarimi muna 1773. Vafemerwa neCossack anonzi Pugachev, nekushevedzera kwakasimba kwe "Roverera varidzi venyika vese!", Vapanduki vakatyisidzira kutora Moscow kusvikira Catherine apwanya kupandukira. Kufanana nedzimwe dzakavhenekerwa madzimambo eEurope, Catherine akaumba simba rake uye mubatanidzwa nevakuru. Catherine akabudirira kurwisa kuputsika kweRussia yeOttoman uye muganhu weBlack Russia nemabasa, kusanganisira rutsigiro rweTargowica Confederation.
vatongi veAustria nePrussia