TO THE 300TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF THE GREAT NORTHERN WAR! “Through the capture of this city, St. Petersburg received final security” - this is how Peter the Great commented on the capture of Vyborg by Russian troops in 1710. In total, during the 21-year war between Russia and Sweden, there were about seventy siege operations, because the capture and defense of fortresses constituted a significant part of military affairs at the beginning of the 18th century. The book by Boris Megorsky is dedicated to this side of the military operations of the era of Peter I, typical of its time, but little known today. When describing siege warfare, the author draws attention to everyday issues, routine tasks, military traditions and customs, and behavior in a combat situation. An important place in the book, written on a large array of published and archival sources, both domestic and foreign, is given to the civilian population involved in the war, and talks about scorched earth tactics, the evacuation and burning of cities. A clear characteristic of the era is provided by the unwritten laws and customs of war regarding the surrender of cities, negotiations, compliance with agreements, the right of extraction or the practice of personal captivity. Going beyond the framework of serf war, the book also tells about assaults or defense of small and field fortifications. Along with major sieges and field battles, they constituted a significant share in the experience of the armies participating in the Northern War of 1700-1721.