The Battle of Kiev of December 1919 was the third of three battles fought that year in
Kiev
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
, the capital of Ukraine during the
Russian Civil War
, date = October Revolution, 7 November 1917 – Yakut revolt, 16 June 1923{{Efn, The main phase ended on 25 October 1922. Revolt against the Bolsheviks continued Basmachi movement, in Central Asia and Tungus Republic, the Far East th ...
.
The Kiev operation (December 10–16, 1919) was an offensive operation of the
12th Army under command of
Sergei Mezheninov
Sergei A Mezheninov (January 19, 1890 – September 28, 1937) was a Soviet komkor (corps commander).
He fought for the Imperial Russian Army during World War I before going over to the Bolsheviks during the subsequent civil war.
During this wa ...
against some 9,000 White Guard troops under command of
Abram Dragomirov
Abram Mikhailovich Dragomirov (russian: Абра́м Миха́йлович Драгоми́ров, tr. ; 9 December 1955) was a General in the Imperial Russian Army. Following the Russian Revolution he joined Anton Denikin in the Volunteer Arm ...
.
The 58th Infantry Division of the 12th Army was advancing to Kiev from the west, and the 44th Infantry Division from the east.
On December 10, the 44th Infantry Division of the 12th Army withdrew to the Dnieper River.
On the night of 15 to 16 December, with the assistance of local fisherman PK Alekseenko (Alekseyev), the
44th Infantry Division under command of
Ivan Naumovich Dubovoy
forced the Dnieper, which was just starting to freeze.
Early on the morning of December 16, the Reds unexpectedly attacked the White's positions from the rear and occupied the bridges. After a twelve-hour battle, the Whites retreated. On the same day, the 58th Infantry Division under command of
Ivan Fedko
Ivan Fyodorovich Fedko (Russian: Ива́н Фёдорович Федько́; July 6, 1897 – February 26, 1939) was a Soviet Komandarm 1st rank and army commander. He was born in what is now the Left-bank Ukraine. He fought in the Imperial Russi ...
entered the city.
1919 in Ukraine
Battles of the Russian Civil War
Conflicts in 1919
Battles involving Ukraine
December 1919 events
1910s in Kyiv
{{Ukraine-hist-stub