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PUSHKIN, poosh'kin, Aleksandr Sergeye-vich (1799-1837), Russian poet, who is considered by many critics to be the most important Russian writer of all time, equivalent to Shakespeare in England or Dante in Italy. Pushkin established the techniques and provided the standards for the extraordinary development that took place in Russian arts and letters in the 19th century. Through his efforts the language of Russian literature was no longer restricted to the language of the salon. His masterpiece, Eugene Onegin, is the supreme achievement of Russian poetry.

GORCHAKOV, gar-cha-kof, Prince Mikhail Dmitrievich (1795-1861), Russian general, who was a distinguished commander in the Crimean War. He served in the Russian Army against the French in 1812-1814 and against the Turks in 1828-1829. In the Polish Revolution of 1831, he rose to general of artillery. He was named military governor of Warsaw in 1846 and commanded the Russian artillery against Hungary in 1849.

The second war, from 1878 to 1880 occurred when the Emir Sher Ali gained Russian protection. Three Anglo-Indian armies invaded Afghanistan and deposed him. His son, Yakub Khan, agreed to British control, but after a native uprising the British took Kabul, deposed Yakub, and enthroned his more amenable nephew.