The book reveals various aspects of the geopolitical confrontation between the Russian Empire and the leading European powers in the struggle for the Caucasus. After reading this book, the reader will find answers to the questions of how Great Britain and France sought to take control of this mountainous region in the 19th century, what mechanisms and tricks our competitors used in the Caucasus, and how the highlanders became hostages of a big geopolitical game. Specific historical examples show the technology of "controlled chaos" used by the West to contain and counter Russia.