The first fortified camp of the Russian army was built on June 20th 1709 when the Russian Army crossed river Vorskla River near villages Semyonovka and Petrovka.

When the Russians comprehended that the Swedes did not intend to attack a fortified camp, Tsar Peter I ordered to encamp close to the village Yakovtsy. The second camp was built the night of June 25th. It was rectangular in shape but open at the rear, overlooking Vorskla river. The fortified camp was protected by ditch, palisade and a rampart, behind which emplacements were equipped. The Russians deployed app. 25000 infantry and 73 guns in the camp. A small detachment of Cossacks was posted in Yakovetski Wood to guard the southern approaches to the camp. In front of the camp there was a large field of sandy soil stretching westwards. To cover the open approach to the camp and disrupt battle formation of advancing Swedish Army Tsar Peter I ordered built two lines of square or rectangular redoubts placed in the form of letter T and deploy one battalion and two guns in each redoubt. Cadets of the Poltava military school under the supervision of lieutenant-general E.Wrangel reconstructed some earthworks of the camp in 1854. Unfortunately the questionconcerning the exact position of the camp was raised only in 1909 before the celebration of 200 years anniversary of the battle, when almost all traces of the camp had disappeared. A memorial stone designed by architect P. Gumich was installed on the assumed place of Russian command post in 1973.