Battle of Konotop

Part of Russo-Polish War (1654–67)

Date	June 29, 1659
Location	Konotop, Ukraine
Result	Victory of Vyhovsky's coalition

Belligerents

Crimean Khanate

Cossacks of Ivan Vyhovsky

Russian Tsardom

Cossacks of Ivan Bezpaly

Commanders and leaders

Mehmed IV Giray
Ivan Vyhovsky
Ivan Bohun
Hryhoriy Hulianytsky

Alexey Trubetskoy
Semyon Pozharsky

Semyon Lvov
Ivan Bezpaly

Strength

30,000–35,000 Crimean Tatars
16,000 Cossacks
1500—3000 mercenaries
4,000 garrison troops in Konotop

28,600 Russians
6,660 Cossacks

Casualties and losses

3,000–6,000 Crimean Tatars
4,000 Cossacks

4,769 Russian troops

2,000 Cossacks

4,769 Russian troops

The Battle of Konotop or Battle of Sosnivka was fought between a coalition led by the Hetman of Ukrainian Cossacks Ivan Vyhovsky and cavalry units of the Russian Tsardom under the command of Semyon Pozharsky and Semyon Lvov, supported by Cossacks of Ivan Bezpaly, on June 29, 1659, near the town of Konotop, Ukraine, during the Russo-Polish War (1654–67). Vyhovsky's coalition, in which the Crimean Tatars of Mehmed IV Giray played a major role, defeated the Russians and their allies and forced the main Russian army to interrupt the siege of Konotop. However, the result of the battle only intensified political tensions in Ukraine and led to Vyhovsky's removal from power several months later.

The Battle of Konotop took place during the period of Ukrainian history that is generally referred to as the Ruin. This was the time after the death of Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, during which many power struggles within the Cossack elite took place. Arguably, these power struggles were instigated by the Russian tsar, in an effort to undermine the authority of the Cossacks.

During his reign, Bohdan Khmelnytsky managed to wrestle Ukraine out of Polish domination, but was later forced to enter into a new and uneasy relation with Russia in 1654. His successor, general chancellor and close adviser Ivan Vyhovsky, was left to deal with Moscow's growing interference in Ukraine's internal affairs and even overt instigation of a civil war by way of supporting Cossack factions opposing Vyhovsky.

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