Aggressors may build fortresses, ostrogs (stockaded forts), and chains of defensive lines (military lines) on the territories of Indigenous peoples. This infrastructure physically cuts the local population off from vital resources (for example, lowland pastures), blocks communications, and serves as a protected staging ground for the permanent stationing of occupation troops and the subsequent resettlement of colonists from the metropole.
The military forces of the Tsardom of Muscovy erected a fortified outpost on the lands of the Nokhchi: historian E. N. Kusheva states that in 1567 "the Russian town... was erected in that same year"[1].
The military forces of the Tsardom of Muscovy repeatedly rebuilt the fortified outpost on the lands of the Nokhchi: historian E. N. Kusheva writes that "in 1577 - 1578... the Russian town was reestablished on the Terek River at the mouth of the Sunzha"[1], while the compiler of the collection of documents E. N. Kusheva indicates that the military forces of the Tsardom of Muscovy "rebuilt the ostrog in 1590 and 1635"[2] and that "in 1651 a Russian ostrog was built anew on the left bank of the Sunzha"[2].
The military forces of the Tsardom of Muscovy erected a new fortified base: historian E. N. Kusheva writes that they «were building it in 1588-1589... Mikhailo Burtsev and Kelar Protasyev... the main force of its garrison consisted of streltsy armed with «fire weaponry», with pishchal arquebuses»[1], while historians A. S. Kulikov and V. A. Runov add that in the early 17th century «the Terek fort had turned into a rather powerful fortress. Its artillery numbered 40 large guns»[3].
The deployment of a network of military bases (Novobohorodytska, Kamianyi Zaton) near the Zaporozhian Sich. Under the pretext of protection, Moscow was establishing rigid military control: "The Zaporozhians... put forward the destruction of Kamianyi Zaton as a condition for any oath of allegiance"[4][5].
The government of the Tsardom of Muscovy consolidated militarized settlements on the border with the lands of the Nokhchi to strengthen control: historian Ya. Z. Akhmadov states that in 1711–1712 "the small Greben Cossack towns along the Terek were merged, by order of Tsar Peter I, into 5 stanitsas - from Chervlyonnaya to Kurdyukovskaya"[6].
The Regular Army of the Russian Empire founded a new military base for infrastructural entrenchment in the region: historian Ya. Z. Akhmadov states that in the autumn of 1722 Peter I "founded the fortress of the Holy Cross on the Sulak"[6].
The Government of the Russian Empire built up a military line through the engineering construction of fortified militarized outposts to isolate the Indigenous population: historian Ya. Z. Akhmadov states that in 1736 «three new Cossack stanitsas: Borozdinskaya, Kargalinskaya, Dubovskaya»[6] were established, which, as historian I. Kh. Tkhamokova records, served as fortifications, since each such stanitsa «was in effect a small fortress serving for protection against enemy raids»[7].
The Regular Army of the Russian Empire built a fortress on the occupied territory as a stronghold, in order to keep the approaches to the Chechen lands under fire and cut the inhabitants off from their lands. Historian D. A. Khozhaev records that the fortress was built «on Chechen land»[8]. The imperial general Yermolov attests in his «Notes» that the fortress, «constraining the inhabitants in their possession of the best lands… not far from the entrance through the Khan-Kale gorge, was named Groznaya», and that the earthworks were completed by mid-October 1818[9]. The imperial historian Potto confirms the founding on June 10, 1818: «to the thunder of cannon, a strong fortress of six bastions was laid, which Yermolov named Groznaya»[10]. As early as his most humble report of November 1817, Yermolov directly named the purpose of the Sunzha fortresses: «We must occupy the Sunzha River and build fortresses along its course: then the Chechens will be confined in their mountains, deprived of land suitable for cultivation and of the pasture grounds where throughout the winter they shelter their herds from the harsh mountain climate»[11].
The Russian Empire built a ring of fortresses around Chechnya in order to squeeze it and cut it off from its neighbors. Historian D. A. Khozhayev writes that following Groznaya, the fortress Vnezapnaya appeared in 1819, erected in order to "squeeze unsubdued Chechnya with new fortresses and fortifications"[8]. Imperial historian Potto confirms its purpose and date: founded on the eighteenth of July 1819, it "separated the Chechens from the Kumyks" and "barred [the Chechens’] way across the Salatau mountains," and it was linked to Groznaya by a chain of fortifications[10]. General Yermolov had planned this fortress as early as his most humble report of November 1817, proposing that "by extending the Line through the Aksai and Andreyevo villages to the Sulak River, Kizlyar will be covered"[11].
The Russian Empire placed a chain of fortifications on the land taken from the Nokhchi to consolidate the seizure and hold the population in submission. Historian D. A. Khozhaev writes that Yermolov, moving the Caucasian Line to the Sunzha, was "squeezing unsubdued Chechnya with new fortresses and fortifications," and that "on the occupied territory fortifications were built… Neotstupny Stan, Zlobny Okop, Vnezapnaya (1819), and others"[8]. The imperial historian Potto confirms that in the summer of 1820, having barely finished the Germenchuk clearing, Grekov "set about felling the forest along the Sunzha and building on the cleared glades two new fortifications: the Ust-Martan redoubt and Zlobny Okop," and on the site of the demolished Kachkalyk village of Isti-Su he placed "Neotstupny Stan"[10].
The amanat-and-tribute system of Pullo, commander of the left flank of the Caucasus Line (a chain of imperial fortifications on the land of the Nokhchi), was anchored by new fortifications on Chechen land. The Chechen writer Abuzar Aydamirov records the founding of the Umakhan-Yurt fortification on the Sunzha river in 1837[12]. The plan of general Golovin, commander of the Separate Caucasus Corps (the head of the empire's troops in the Caucasus), for 1840 prescribed "to erect a fortification at Cherkey and near old Aksai (at Gerzel-aul)" - Gerzel-aul stands on the border of Chechnya and the Kumyk plain; the construction went on all winter: the imperial historian Yurov writes that in March 1840 Pullo was personally "at Gerzel-aul to bring it into a better defensive condition", and the fortification "was finished after a fashion"[13].
In 1841-1846 the empire built up the Chechen plains with a chain of fortifications. Historian N. I. Pokrovsky writes of 1841: "in summer and autumn the Russian command feverishly strengthens the Sunzha Line: in July - August they build the fortification of Zakan Yurt, and in August - October - the fortification of Kazakh Kichu"[14]; historians Ya. Z. Akhmadov and E. Kh. Khasmagomadov record the function: "The construction of the two new fortifications - Kazakhkichu and Zakan-Yurt - made it possible to exclude entirely the movement of large Chechen detachments beyond the Sunzha and still further isolated the Terek country from the rest of Chechnya"[15]. In 1844 - "the construction of the Vozdvizhenskoye fortification in autumn 1844 on the site of the destroyed aul of Chakhkeri (Chakhkar-Atagi), at the mouth of the Argun gorge"[15]; Pokrovsky names its purpose: "Vozdvizhenskoye was now to become the base for frequent raids on Chechen auls, for winter fellings of the forest in lowland Chechnya"[14]. In 1846 the fort of Achkhoy was built on the Fortanga river. An imperial report named the function of Achkhoy: "The building of a fortification on the Fortanga, almost in the heart of Lesser Chechnya, amid its granary plains, cannot fail to have influence on its subjugation"[16]. The invasion of Aukh (the Chechen region in the north-east) in June 1841 the troops of general Grabbe, commander of the troops of the Caucasus Line (the chain of imperial fortifications on the land of the Nokhchi), secured with a fortification on the seized land: on 16-17 June a temporary fortification was built at Aktash-Aukh. The fortification stood for one summer: historian N. I. Pokrovsky writes - "on 21 September the fortification was razed, the detachment withdrew"[14]. At this fortification the empire gathered the "loyal" Aukh families before their resettlement under the rule of the Kumyk lords.
In the winter of 1847-1848 the empire built fortresses that locked in Lesser Chechnya (the lowland-piedmont western part of Chechnya). Imperial officer Poltoratsky, a participant in the winter expedition of 1847-1848, wrote: "By the building of the forward Sunzha Line, from Groznaya to Vladikavkaz, we greatly constricted Lesser Chechnya, but by now constructing fortresses on the Martan, the Valerik and the Assa we were finally carrying out her death sentence"[17]. Historian N. I. Pokrovsky records the continuation in 1848: "at the beginning of August the fortification of Urus-Martan was founded"[14]. The stanitsas settled Cossacks on the sites of burned auls; the fortresses kept troops on that same land.