Kiev Offensive

Kiev Offensive (1920)

Polish Breguet 14 operating from Kiev airfield

Date	24 April–13 June, 1920
Location	Ukraine
Result	Red army strategic victory; start of the major Red army counter-offensive

Belligerents

Poland

Ukrainian People's Republic

Russian SFSR

Ukrainian SSR

Commanders and leaders

Strength

8 infantry divisions
1 cavalry division
2 understrength Ukrainian divisions; 80,000 men initially

8 infantry divisions
2 cavalry divisions
later also 1st Cavalry Army

Casualties and losses

Uncertain; estimated 10,000–15,000 killed, at least 10,000 captured, and numerous wounded

Around 32,000 men lost, including 2,000 from 1st Cavalry Army

The 1920 Kiev Offensive (or Kiev Operation), sometimes considered to have started the Soviet-Polish War, was an attempt by the armed forces of the newly re-emerged Poland led by Józef Piłsudski, in alliance with the Ukrainian leader Symon Petliura, to seize the territories of modern-day Ukraine which fell under the Soviet control after the Bolshevik Revolution. The operation led to a Soviet counteroffensive resulting in the creation of the short-lived Galician Soviet Socialist Republic, and ended amicably with the formal Peace of Riga of 1921.

The stated goal of the operation was to create a formally independent Ukraine. Some Ukrainians greeted the Polish and allied Ukrainian forces as liberators, although Ukrainians fought for both sides of the conflict.

The campaign was conducted from April to June 1920. It was a major military operation of the Polish Army thanks to new alliance with the forces of the Ukrainian People's Republic under the exiled Ukrainian leader Symon Petliura. It was opposed by the Soviets who claimed most of the territories for the Ukrainian SSR afterwards. Initially successful for the Polish and Ukrainian armies which captured Kiev on May 7, 1920, the campaign was dramatically reversed, chiefly by the cavalry of Semyon Budyonny.

The government of the Ukrainian People's Republic, with mounting attacks on its territory since early 1919, had lost control over most of Ukraine, which was controlled by several disparate powers: Denikin's Whites, the Red Army and pro-Soviet formations, the Makhnovist Partisan Army claiming significant territory, the Kingdom of Romania in the southwest, Poland, and various bands lacking any political ideology. The city of Kiev had undergone numerous recent changes of government. The Ukrainian People's Republic was established in 1917; a Bolshevik uprising was suppressed in January 1918. The Red Army took it in February 1918, followed by the Army of the German Empire in March; Ukrainian forces retook the city in December. During February 1919 the Red Army regained control; in August it was taken first by Symon Petlura's men and then by Denikin's army. The Soviets regained control in December 1919.

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Wikipedia