VyazmaVyazma (Вязьма) is a town and the administrative center of Vyazemsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River, about halfway between Smolensk, the administrative center of the oblast, and Mozhaysk. Throughout its turbulent history, it defended western approaches to Moscow. Population: 44,000 (1970). Vyazma was first mentioned in a chronicle under the year of 1230, although it is believed to be much older than that. The town was named after the river, whose name was from Russian word "вязь" (vyaz), meaning "bog" or "swamp".
OrshaOrsha (Orša; О́рша ˈorʂə; Orša, Orsza) is a city in Vitebsk Region, Belarus, on the fork of the Dnieper and Arshytsa rivers. It serves as the administrative center of Orsha District. Orsha was first mentioned in 1067 as Rsha, making it one of the oldest towns in Belarus. The town was named after the river, which was originally also named Rsha, probably from a Baltic root *rus 'slowly flowing.' In 1320, Orsha became a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Between 1398–1407, the Orsha castle was built.
