Settling Strategy for Labinsk Border Line (1840–1865)

Based on documentary materials, the paper is looking into the formation of Border Cossack settlements on the Labinsk Border Line in the North-West Caucasus. From 1840 to 1865, the Labinsk (New) Borderline was an imperial military-economic project, which essentially opened the way to colonize the added Russian territory and the emerging network of fortification facilities with key settlement structures in the form of fortified village settlements. The settled civilian aspect in the conquest of the North-Western Caucasus as an uncontrolled inland territory and colonization of the Zakubansky Territory as a new Russian province is of completely independent importance, although it is inseparable from the general process of consolidating new lands for the benefit of the Russian Empire. There military-organizational and socio-demographic trends had also played their role closely linked with the conduct of hostilities, the achievement of military-strategic and geopolitical goals, the implementation of military-tactical tasks, with the relocation and eviction of the mountain peoples, etc. Historical settlements on the Labinsk Borderline reflected not only the way of life, but also Cossack identity. As a region-wide military and economic project, they fulfilled their historical purpose acting as a supporting line to consolidate Russian positions in Zakuban to be later abolished due to the loss of strategic significance.