laurence looking at the map upon the table picked out the roads , the cities , and understood : kutuzov would make it seem as though he were retreating eastward , deeper into the russian steppes , the safest course ; and then would turn south again sharply while the french were busy with their occupation of moscow-and surely its looting as well-and seize a strong position to the south , protecting the supply of food and munitions coming to his army from the rich southern provinces , and ensuring his communications with the large portion of the russian army which yet remained in the empire 's south .