The Battle of Nikopol, or Nicopolis, was one of the early battles of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). As the Russian army crossed the Danube river, they approached the fortified city of Nikopol (Nicopolis). The Turkish high command sent Osman Pasha with the troops from Vidin to oppose the Russians' crossing of the Danube. Osman's intentions were to reinforce and defend Nikopol. However, General Nikolai Kridener's Russian IX Corps arrived first, bombarding and compelling the garrison's surrender before Osman Pasha could reach the city. He instead fell back to Plevna. With the Nikopol garrison eliminated, the Russians were free to march on to Plevna.