 The distraction by the Hamdanids proved fortunate for Byzantium . In early summer 941 , as Kourkouas prepared to resume campaigning in the East , his attention was diverted by an unexpected event : the appearance of a Rus ' fleet that raided the area around Constantinople itself . The Byzantine army and navy were absent from the capital , and the appearance of the Rus ' fleet caused panic among the populace of Constantinople . While the navy and Kourkouas 's army were recalled , a hastily assembled squadron of old ships armed with Greek Fire and placed under the protovestiarios Theophanes defeated the Rus ' fleet on June 11 , forcing it to abandon its course toward the city . The surviving Rus ' landed on the shores of Bithynia and ravaged the defenseless countryside . The patrikios Bardas Phokas hastened to the area with whatever troops he could gather , contained the raiders , and awaited the arrival of Kourkouas 's army . Finally , Kourkouas and his army appeared and fell upon the Rus ' , who had dispersed to plunder the countryside , killing many of them . The survivors retreated to their ships and tried to cross to Thrace under the cover of night . During the crossing , the entire Byzantine navy attacked and annihilated the Rus ' . 
