Andrey Nikolayevich Selivanov (5 August 1847 – 15 July 1917) was a Russian politician and general notable for capturing Przemyśl during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Biography

Selivanov served in the Russian army during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 and the

Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese War ( ja, 日露戦争, Nichiro sensō, Japanese-Russian War; russian: Ру́сско-япóнская войнá, Rússko-yapónskaya voyná) was fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire during 1904 and 1 ...

, winning distinction for both conflicts. Selivanov served as Governor-General of

Irkutsk Irkutsk ( ; rus, Иркутск, p=ɪrˈkutsk; Buryat language, Buryat and mn, Эрхүү, ''Erhüü'', ) is the largest city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. With a population of 617,473 as of the 2010 Census, Irkutsk is ...

from 1906 until 1910 when he became a member of the

State Council of Imperial Russia The State Council ( rus, Госуда́рственный сове́т, p=ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)ɨj sɐˈvʲet) was the supreme state advisory body to the Tsar in Imperial Russia. From 1906, it was the upper house of the parliament under the ...

. In 1914 during World War I, Selivanov was appointed commander of the forces besieging Przemyśl. The siege had begun under the command of

Radko Dimitriev Radko Dimitriev ( bg, Радко Димитриев) (24 September 1859 in Gradets, Sliven Province, Gradets – 18 October 1918 near Pyatigorsk) was a Bulgarians, Bulgarian general, Chief of the Defence (Bulgaria), Head of the General Staff ...

on September 24, 1914. Dimitriev's Russian Third Army was forced to suspend siege operations during

Paul von Hindenburg Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg (; abbreviated ; 2 October 1847 – 2 August 1934) was a German field marshal and statesman who led the Imperial German Army during World War I and later became President of Germany fro ...

's offensive against

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

in 1914. After defeat at the

battle of the Vistula River The Battle of the Vistula River, also known as the Battle of Warsaw, was a Russian victory against the German Empire and Austria-Hungary on the Eastern Front during the First World War. Background By mid-September 1914 the Russians were driv ...

, Hindenburg and his Austrian allies retreated and Dimitriev resumed siege operations. However the Third Army was moved away from the Przemyśl front. General Selivanov then assumed command of the Russian siege forces which were designated the Russian Eleventh Army. Selivanov halted the frontal assaults which had characterized earlier Russian attempts to subdue the fortress. Selivanov settled into starving the garrison into submission. Defeat became inevitable for the defenders when Austrian relief efforts were turned back and Selivanov's Eleventh Army overran Przemyśl's northern defenses. For successfully capturing Przemyśl, Selivanov was awarded the

Order of Saint George The Order of Saint George (russian: Орден Святого Георгия, Orden Svyatogo Georgiya) is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. Originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) a ...

, 3rd Degree. On April 5, 1915, Selivanov resigned from the army due to poor health and resumed his duties in the State Council. He died on July 15, 1917.

References

Andrey Selivanov
{{DEFAULTSORT:Selivanov, Andrey Imperial Russian Army generals Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Third Degree Members of the State Council (Russian Empire) 1847 births 1917 deaths Russian military personnel of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) Russian military personnel of the Russo-Japanese War Russian military personnel of World War I