in the selection and training of future sailors from the Ukrainian population. With the addition of Crimea to the Russian Empire, Turkey understood this as being a breaking of the Treaty of Kujchuk-Karnadji. Turkey sent a fleet of 25 large boats and war broke loose. Commanders were sent from the Baltics, and the Azov fleet was sent to engage the Turks. Potemkin's admirals did not know the conditions in the Dnieper-Black Sea region and as a result Bily took a commanding role. After handing over command of the fleet to vice-admiral F. Klokachov, Bily returned to Kherson where he took command of the Lyman fleet, which was still to be built. The fleet was built in 1787 made up of Cossack Chaikas (one of which is in the Cossack museum in Khortytsia today) and brigants. During Catherine II visit through Ukraine and Crimea in 1787, Sydir Bily accompanied her with a guard of Cossacks. Catherine was happy with the service and agreed to pardon the Cossacks who had left the Russian Empire. Potemkin placed the French Prince Karl Heinrich Nassau-Zigen as commander of the Lyman fleet. Sydir became the commander of the Cossack Chaikas. 27 February 1787 Suvorov sent Koshovy Bily to the Empress to petition for the return of the Zaporozhian attributes: a large white with blue cross flag, some other smaller flags, bulava etc. The flag became the basis for the current Navy flag of Ukraine. The word Zaporozhian however, was no longer allowed to be used, although Suvorov paid no heed to the ban. September 7, 1787 the next Russo-Turkish war erupted. The tragedy of this campaign was that they not only fought the Turks, but also their brethren who had resettled in the Danubian Sich. The fleet led by Sydir Bily had negotiated with the Danubian Cossacks not to engage them in combat. They shot their cannon a number of times and returned to shore. The refusal of the Danubian Cossacks to fight their brothers guaranteed Potemkin victory. On the 17 June near Ochakiv a new battle erupted. A number of boats of Eksi-Hasan were grounded in the shallow waters. The Lyman flotilla attacked and destroyed six frigates. During the attack 18 cossacks died and 235 were taken captive. Sydir Bily was also wounded. He was taken to the Kinburg fortress. Suvorov gave him his finest doctors, but this was all in vain. Bily died June