RUSSIAN-KABARDIAN RELATIONS IN THE 60-70-S XVIII CENTURY: HISTORIOGRAPHY OF THE CONFLICT
Since the end of the XVIII century. Russia is fundamentally changing its policy in the Caucasus. It was from this period that she mainly focused her efforts on expanding the southern borders and the gradual integration of the mountain peoples into the empire. Changes in the Russian political line led to an inevitable clash of interests between Russia and Kabarda. The study showed that by the last quarter of the XVIII century. not only the Kabardians, but also the Trans-Kuban Circassians, Nogais and Chechens were drawn into the military conflict in the Central Caucasus. In Russian historiography, the events of 1778-1779 are considered as a turning point in Russian-Kabardian relations and are undoubtedly of scientific interest.