On January 31 (February 12), 1884, a delegation of Merv Turkmens, which included the khans of the four largest tribes, swore allegiance to Russian citizenship. This act ended the annexation of Central Asia to Russia, which lasted more than a century and a half. The purpose of the conquest of Central Asia was not to expand the possessions of Russia, but an attempt to protect the subjects of the Russian Empire from constant robberies, free prisoners, and ensure peace in the steppe provinces of Russia. The book by Alexei Kuropatkin is evidence of a direct participant in the Ahal-Tekin expedition, as a result of which Turkmenistan was annexed to Russia. First published in 1899, it has been out of print since.