After seizing the Ava region, the Russian Army did not halt its march to war, instead heading straight for the Bosphorus Strait—the vital first gateway to the Black Sea.
A few decades ago, they could have crossed the sea directly from Constantinople, but that was no longer possible. With the development of artillery technology, it had become far too easy for coastal guns to seal off a strait.
The Allied forces had also considered launching an attack from the Sea of Marmara, but before the war broke out, the Ottomans had concentrated their entire navy there.
Austria had not left many warships in the Sea of Marmara. They could suppress the Ottoman navy, but they could not wipe it out.
Facing an enemy cowering in its ports, it was more convenient to strike overland. Sending the navy charging in for a decisive battle would exact too steep a price.
Inside the Ava headquarters, Lieutenant General Kharosov, seeking to atone for his crimes through merit, reported in a low voice, "Commander, the offensive at the front has been stalled. The enemy's resistance is too fierce.
"They have even shamelessly disguised themselves as the elderly, the weak, women, and children, waiting until our troops lower their guard before launching sneak attacks. The frontline forces are advancing slowly and request support from the airship bombing units."
What "disguised as the elderly, the weak, women, and children"? They plainly were the elderly, the weak, women, and children. Makeup techniques of this era were nowhere near that miraculous; differences in physique could not be concealed.
Thanks to the Sultan Government's propaganda, the Russian Army had become flesh-eating demons in the public imagination. The people had long since been mobilized, whether willingly or under duress, and they had caused the Russian Army no end of trouble.