▁K eller ▁received ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Life ▁Guard ▁R if le ▁Battalion ▁of ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Guard . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Major - General ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁by ▁Ts ar ▁Alexander ▁III ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁the ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Corps ▁of ▁P ages . ▁He ▁held ▁this ▁pr estig ious ▁post ▁until ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁when , ▁after ▁promotion ▁to ▁Lieutenant - General , ▁he ▁became ▁Governor ▁of ▁Y ek ater inos lav . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁Rus so - J apan ese ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁K eller ▁volunte ered ▁for ▁a ▁combat ▁command , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁few ▁senior ▁Russian ▁officers ▁to ▁do ▁so . ▁His ▁request ▁was ▁approved ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁placed ▁at ▁the ▁dispos al ▁of ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁War , ▁General ▁K urop at kin . ▁K eller ▁initially ▁served ▁as ▁Int elligence ▁Officer ▁on ▁K urop at kin ' s ▁staff ▁in ▁Man ch uria . ▁After ▁the ▁Russian ▁defeat ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Y alu ▁on ▁ 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁General ▁K urop at kin ▁decided ▁K eller ▁would ▁replace ▁Lieutenant - General ▁Mik h ail ▁Z as ul ich ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Det achment ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Si ber ian ▁Corps . ▁ ▁K eller ' s ▁leadership ▁skills ▁quickly ▁made ▁a ▁difference ▁in ▁rest oring ▁the ▁confidence ▁of