Kharkiv Operation (June 1919)
Military campaign in the Russian Civil War
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The Kharkiv Operation was a military campaign of the Russian Civil War in June 1919, in which White forces captured the important industrial center of Kharkiv from the Bolsheviks, in preparation for an advance on Moscow.
| Kharkiv Operation (June 1919) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Southern Front of the Russian Civil War | |||||||
The advance of the AFSR in Spring 1919 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 1st Army Corps (AFSR) Terek Division Volunteer Army |
 Ukrainian Soviet Army 13th Army (RSFSR) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Vladimir May-Mayevsky Alexander Kutepov Sergei Toporkov Anton Turkul Andrei Shkuro |
Vladimir Antonov-Ovseyenko Anatoliy Gekker | ||||||
The Battle
After months of heavy fighting in the Donbass and Don region, the Red Southern Front collapsed, allowing the Volunteer Army to launch a major attack towards the North and West. In June, the Whites undertook a successful offensive in the directions of Yekaterinoslav and Kharkiv.[1]
By the second half of June 1919, the main forces of the Volunteer Army (most of the forces of the 1st Army and 3rd Kuban Cavalry Corps, in total 6 infantry and cavalry divisions) under the command of General Vladimir May-Mayevsky approached Kharkiv still controlled by the Red Army, and began to prepare for the assault. The main offensive on the city was developed by forces of the 1st Army Corps of General Alexander Kutepov from the south and south-east.
The city was taken after 5 days of heavy fighting.[2]
Results
As a result of the capture of Kharkiv, the Volunteer Army destroyed an important stronghold of the Red Army on its way to Kursk and Moscow. They also captured an important stock of weapons: armored cars, armored trains, machine guns and ammunition, and seized an important industrial center.
Thus, the AFSR were able to control a strategically important city, while also replenishing its resources and gaining the use of Kharkiv's industrial potential.
On July 3, Anton Denikin promulgated his Moscow Directive, marking the start of the campaign against Moscow.[3]
Denikin and his generals in Kharkiv, 28 June 1919.
The Belozersky Regiment at the Volunteer Army parade in Kharkiv. At the head is the regiment commander, Colonel B. A. Shteifon.
The Volunteer Army enters Kharkiv on 25 June 1919
Lieutenant G. A. Golovan, commander of the reserve battalion of the 3rd Kornilov Shock Regiment, Zmiev Barracks in Kharkov.
See also
- Bibliography of the Russian Revolution and Civil War
- Outline of the Russian Revolution and Civil War
- Index of articles related to the Russian Revolution and Civil War
- The "Russian" Civil Wars, 1916–1926: Ten Years That Shook the World
- Russia in Flames: War, Revolution, Civil War, 1914–1921
- Russia in Revolution: An Empire in Crisis, 1890 to 1928
- Russia: Revolution and Civil War, 1917—1921
- The Russian Revolution: A New History