DEFENSIVE BATTLES OF THE UPR ARMY IN THE PODILLIA IN THE SUMMER OF 1920

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35774/gsip2025.01.089

Keywords:

UPR army, Polish Armed Forces, defensive battles, Podillia, Ukrainian army, Red Army

Abstract

The article highlights the defensive battles of the UPR army in Podillia in July 1920 based on the use of various sources and scientific literature. This page of national history is an important component of the study of the events leading up to the Ukrainian Revolution of 1917-1921 and has great importance for creating an objective and holistic picture of it. The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism and objectivity. The use of methods such as analysis, synthesis, as well as problematic and chronological, systematic, descriptive, statistical and comparative, made it possible to achieve the goal.

The above-mentioned events did not receive proper coverage in historiography, and were sometimes subjected to falsification and distortion, which, of course, is an important motivating factor for their development. Scientific works of national historians have done a lot in this regard. However, the existing scientific heritage does not allow for a holistic disclosure and presentation of the events related to the defensive battles of the UPR army in Podillia in the summer of 1920.

Important attention is paid to clarifying the military and political conditions in which the UPR army found itself during this period, and the factors that contributed or did not contribute to the effective confrontation of Ukrainian units with the Red Army forces are revealed. An attempt is made to determine the composition of the warring parties, their numbers, weapons, etc. The author traces in chronological sequence the combat path of the UPR army in Podillia during the summer of 1920: 1) 1-12 June, when units of the UPR army were involved in the initial phase of confrontation with the Soviet offensive that began on 26 May; 2) 13 June-13 July, defensive battles during the retreat to the Zbruch River; 3) 14-26 July, defense along the Zbruch River.

There is an attempt to analyse in detail the entire range of defensive and counter-offensive actions carried out by the Ukrainian army. In addition, their specificity is determined in accordance with the three stages of the summer defensive battles that took place in Podillia in 1920. The results and consequences of the combat operations are also noted. The attempt is made to analyse them not only at the tactical but also at the strategic level. Special attention is drawn to examples of military skill, courage and heroism displayed by soldiers and commanders of the UPR army during defensive battles in Podillia in the summer of 1920

Author Biographies

Serhiy OLIINYK

PhD in History, Associate Professor

Kamianets-Podіlskyi Ivan Ohiienko National University

Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine

Olena STEFANYSHYN

PhD in History, Associate Professor

West Ukrainian National University

Ternopil, Ukraine

References

Viiskove budivnytstvo v Ukraini u KhKh stolitti: istorychnyi narys, podii, portrety (1. Military construction in Ukraine in the 20th century: historical sketch, events, portraits) / Za zah. red. Kuzmuka O. I. Kyiv: Vydavnychyi Dim «In Yure», 2001. 448 p. (in Ukrainian).

Dotsenko O. Litopys ukrainskoi revoliutsii. Materialy i dokumenty do istorii ukrainskoi revoliutsii (Chronicle of the Ukrainian Revolution. Materials and documents on the history of the Ukrainian Revolution). Kyiv; Lviv, 1923. T. 2. Kn. 4. 362 p. (in Ukrainian).

Diachenko P. Chorni zaporozhtsi. Spomyny komandyra 1-ho kinnoho polku Chornykh zaporozhtsiv armii UNR (Black Cossacks. Memoirs of the Commander of the 1st Cavalry Regiment of the Black Cossacks of the UNR Army). Kyiv: Stiks, 2010. 448 p. (in Ukrainian).

Zavalniuk O., Oliinyk S. Bii pid Sydorovym 25 lypnia 1920 roku: zabuta zvytiaha armii UNR (Battle of Sidorov on July 25, 1920: a forgotten victory of the UNR army). Naukovi pratsi Kamianets-Podilskoho natsionalnoho universytetu imeni Ivana Ohiienka: istorychni nauky (Scientific works of Ivan Ohienko Kamianets-Podilskyi National University: historical sciences). Kamianets-Podilskyi: Kamianets-Podilskyi natsionalnyi universytet imeni Ivana Ohiienka, 2023. T. 40. pp. 195–205 (in Ukrainian).

Kart M. 1920 rik (Pro zabuti dii ukrainskoho viiska). Za derzhavnist (1920 (On the forgotten actions of the Ukrainian army). For statehood). 1964. no.10. pp. 79–90 (in Ukrainian).

Kovalenko S. Chorni zaporozhtsi: istoriia polku (Black Cossacks: the history of the regiment). Kyiv: Stiks, 2012. 363 p. (in Ukrainian).

Monkevych, B. Chorni zaporozhtsi. Zymovyi pokhid i ostannia kampaniia Chornykh Zaporozhtsiv. Zi skhemamy i iliustratsiiamy (Black Cossacks. The Winter Campaign and the Last Campaign of the Black Cossacks. With Diagrams and Illustrations). Lviv: Knyzhka, 1929. 152 p. (in Ukrainian).

Reient O. P. Slavetna Ukraina. Bytvy ta ovstannia imperskoi doby i vyzvolni zmahannnia 1917–1921 rokiv (Glorious Ukraine. Battles and uprisings of the imperial era and the liberation struggles of 1917–1921). Kyiv: Arii, 2023, 272 p. (in Ukrainian).

Rukkas A. O. «Razom z polskym viiskom»: Armiia Ukrainskoi Narodnoi Respubliky 1920 r. (struktura, orhanizatsiia, chyselnist, uniforma) («Together with the Polish Army»: Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic in 1920 (structure, organization, numbers, uniform)). Nizhyn: Lysenko M. M., 2013. 480 p. (in Ukrainian).

Savchenko V. Dvanadtsiat viin za Ukrainu /Per. z rosiiskoi A. Soproniuka (Twelve Wars for Ukraine /Translated from Russian by A. Soproniuk). Kyiv: Nora-Druk, 2016. 480 p. (in Ukrainian).

Udovychenko O. 3-ya Zalizna dyviziia. Materialy do istorii Viiska Ukrainskoi Narodnoi Respubliky. Rik 1920 (3rd Iron Division. Materials on the history of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic. Year 1920). Niu-York: Chervona Kalyna, 1982. 230 p. (in Ukrainian).

Udovychenko O. Ukraina u viini za derzhavnist. Istoriia orhanizatsii i boiovykh dii Ukrainskykh Zbroinykh syl 1917-1921 (Ukraine in the War for Statehood. History of the Organization and Combat Operations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces 1917-1921). Vinnipeh: Vyd. D. Mykytiuk, 1954. 176 p. (in Ukrainian).

Ukrainska RSR v period hromadianskoi viiny 1917–1920 rr. v trokh tomakh. T. 3: Ukrainska RSR na zavershalnomu etapi hromadianskoi viiny. Vidbyttia napadu burzhuazno-pomishchytskoi Polshchi, rozghrom Vranhelia i petliurivshchyny / Skaba A. D. (holova), Hudzenko P. P., Donii M. R., Dudykevych B. K. ta in. (The Ukrainian SSR during the Civil War of 1917-1920 in three volumes. Vol. 3: The Ukrainian SSR at the final stage of the Civil War. Repelling the attack of bourgeois-landlord Poland, the defeat of Wrangel and the Petliura regime / Skaba A. D. (chairman), Gudzenko P. P., Donii M. R., Dudykevych B. K. and others). Kyiv: Politvydav Ukrainy, 1970, 462 p. (in Ukrainian).

Ukrainsko-moskovska viina 1920 r. v dokumentakh i materialakh (Ch.1: operatyvni dokumenty shtabu armii Ukrainskoi Narodnoi Respubliky. Z peredmovoiu i pid red. henerala V. Salskoho) (The Ukrainian-Moscow War of 1920 in Documents and Materials (Part 1: Operational Documents of the Headquarters of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic. With a Foreword and Edited by General V. Salsky)). Varshava: Pratsi Ukrainskoho Naukovoho Instytutu, 1933. 423 p. (in Ukrainian).

Tsapko I. Kinnyi bii pid Sydorovom (Horse battle near Sidorov). Za derzhavnist (For statehood). 1964. no.10. pp. 204–209 (in Ukrainian).

Published

2025-06-06

How to Cite

OLIINYK , S. ., & STEFANYSHYN, O. . (2025). DEFENSIVE BATTLES OF THE UPR ARMY IN THE PODILLIA IN THE SUMMER OF 1920. HUMANITARIAN STUDIES: HISTORY AND PEDAGOGY, (1), 89–101. https://doi.org/10.35774/gsip2025.01.089