Battle of Kostiuchnówka

Part of the Brusilov Offensive during the First World War

Polish Legionnaires at Kostiuchnówka

Date	July 4–6, 1916
Location	Kostiuchnówka (Kostyukhnivka)
Result	Strategic Austro-Hungarian victory

Belligerents

Austria-Hungary
(Polish Legions)

Russian Empire

Commanders and leaders

Józef Piłsudski

Alexey Kaledin

Strength

5,500-7,300

13,000 or more

Casualties and losses

2,000

Unknown

The Battle of Kostiuchnówka was a World War I battle that took place July 4–6, 1916, near the village of Kostiuchnówka (Kostyukhnivka) and the Styr River in the Volhynia region of modern Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire. It was a major clash between the Russian Army and the Polish Legions (part of the Austro-Hungarian Army) during the opening phase of the Brusilov Offensive.

Polish forces, numbering 5,500–7,300, faced Russian forces numbering over half of the 46th Corps of 26,000. The Polish forces were eventually forced to retreat, but delayed the Russians long enough for the other Austro-Hungarian units in the area to retreat in an organized manner. Polish casualties were approximately 2,000 fatalities and wounded. The battle is considered one of the largest and most vicious of those involving the Polish Legions in World War I.

In World War I, the partitioners of Poland fought each other, with the German Empire and Austro-Hungarian Empire aligned against the Russian Empire. The Polish Legions in Austro-Hungary were created by Józef Piłsudski in order to exploit these divisions, serving as one of his primary tools for restoring Polish independence.

The Polish Legions first arrived in the vicinity of Kostiuchnówka during the advance of the Central Powers in the summer and autumn of 1915, taking Kostiuchnówka on September 27, 1915. That autumn they experienced heavy fighting, with each side trying to take control of the region; a less known battle of Kostiuchnówka took place from November 3 to 10; the Russians managed to make some advances, taking the Polish Hill, but were expelled by the Polish forces on September 10. Polish forces held Kostiuchnówka, and due to their successes in defending their positions, several landmarks in the Kostiuchnówka region became known as "Polish" (called such by Polish as well as by allied German-speaking troops): a key hill overlooking the area became the Polish Hill (Polish: Polska Góra), a nearby forest – the Polish Forest (Polski Lasek), a nearby bridge over the Garbach – the Polish Bridge (Polski Mostek), and the key fortified trench line – Piłsudski's Redoubt (Reduta Piłsudskiego). Polish soldiers built several large wooden camps; the larger of which was known as Legionowo (where the Polish HQ was located). During late autumn, winter and spring no one saw any major moves by either sides, but this changed drastically with the launching of the Brusilov Offensive in June 1916. The Brusilov Offensive would be a major Russian victory, and the greatest of Austro-Hungarian defeats.

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