after general zuo zongtang and his xiang army crushed the rebels, they demanded russia return the city of kuldja in xinjiang, which they had occupied. zuo was outspoken in calling for war against russia and hoped to settle the matter by attacking russian forces in xinjiang. in 1878, tensions in the area increased. zuo massed qing troops toward the russian occupied kuldja. chinese forces also fired on russian expeditionary forces originating from yart vernaic, expelling them, which resulted in a russian retreat.