The remains of more than 100 French and Russian soldiers who died on the battlefield nearly 200 years ago received a ceremonial funeral on Saturday outside Moscow.
The corps included 120 soldiers who fought in the Battle of Vyazma in 1812, in which Russian Empire forces defeated Napoleon’s retreating army after the failed invasion of Moscow in November 1812. There were also three women, about whom He believes they provided food and first aid to the troops and three teenage boys, who are believed to be drummers, AFP reported.
When the bodies were found during a construction project in 2019, archaeologists initially thought the mass grave dates back to World War II, but researchers have determined that it is much older. Alexander Khokhlov, the head of the archeological expedition, said that the discovery of the metal uniform buttons helped establish the regiments of the French army in which some of the victims served.
The funeral ceremony was attended by officials from both countries and direct descendants of the battle’s leaders, Yulia Khitrovo, a descendant of Russian Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, and Prince Joachim Murat, a descendant of one of Napoleon’s most famous marshals. “Death made them equal: now they are all in one grave,” Khitrovo said.
The event was seen as a moment of unity between France and Russia, which were at odds over Russia’s crackdown on political protests and other issues.