uz ov ▁fought ▁in ▁Poland , ▁after ▁the ▁Polish ▁sz lach ta — the ▁Polish ▁noble ▁class — re bel led ▁against ▁Russian ▁influence . ▁In ▁this ▁conflict , ▁K ut uz ov ▁captured ▁several ▁strong ▁def ensive ▁positions , ▁thereby ▁prov ing ▁his ▁skill ▁on ▁the ▁battle field . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 7 6 8 , ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁declared ▁war ▁on ▁the ▁Russian ▁Em press ▁Catherine ▁the ▁Great . ▁Two ▁years ▁later , ▁K ut uz ov , ▁now ▁a ▁major , ▁joined ▁the ▁army ▁of ▁the ▁soon - to - be - f am ous ▁Count ▁Py otr ▁Rum y ant se v ▁in ▁the ▁south ▁to ▁fight ▁against ▁the ▁Tur ks . ▁Though ▁K ut uz ov ▁served ▁val i antly ▁in ▁this ▁campaign , ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁receive ▁any ▁med als , ▁as ▁another ▁officer ▁reported ▁to ▁Rum y ant se v ▁that ▁K ut uz ov ▁mock ed ▁Rum y ant se v ▁behind ▁his ▁back . ▁ ▁Rum y ant se v ▁had ▁Lieutenant - Col onel ▁K ut uz ov ▁transferred ▁into ▁Prince ▁Vas ily ▁Dol gor uk ov - K ry m sky ' s ▁Russian ▁Second ▁Army ▁fighting ▁the ▁Tur ks ▁and ▁the ▁Tat ars ▁in ▁the ▁Crime a . ▁During ▁this ▁campaign ▁K ut uz ov ▁learned ▁how ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁dead ly ▁C oss ack ▁light ▁caval ry , ▁another ▁skill ▁which ▁would ▁prove ▁useful ▁in ▁the ▁defence ▁of ▁Russia ▁against ▁Napoleon ' s ▁inv ading ▁arm ies