After having joined Russian empire, Kiev became a stategically advanced post in the south-west direction. The mainest roads were stretched through the right-bank Ukraine to the centre of Russia. The land roads connected Kiev with Mogylev, Poltava, Smolensk, Novgorod-Severskyi and some other cities.
The most important navigable waterway - the river Dniper has been there. Besides, in Kiev, (in the area of the modern Paton Bridge) there was a ferriage across the Dniper. All these facts played an important role in building the defence in the south-west borders of Empire. One dweller of Moscow Ivan Luk'yanov wrote: "…the upper town - the bank of it is enough high and firm, and the guarding is good as this city is a key to Moscow…." Peter the First picked up this idea with his enthusiasm. The beginning of the North War with Sweden (1700-1721) was very costly, the loss and defeat made some neighboring countries, such as Turkey and Crimean Khanate be involved in the war. The Russian monarch understood very well that any attack would have been made through Kiev only and, Peter the First, escorted by several infantry regimens, personally arrived in Kiev on the 4th of July, 1706, in order to inspect and establish the Russian garryson.
