Kharkiv Operation (June 1919)

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Kharkiv Operation (June 1919)
Part of the Southern Front of the Russian Civil War
Nastuplenie VSIuR 1-ia polovina 1919 g.gif
The advance of the AFSR in Spring 1919
Date20–25 June 1919
(5 days)
Location
Kharkiv, North-Eastern Ukraine
Result White Army victory
Belligerents
Flag of Russia.svg 1st Army Corps (AFSR)
Flag of Russia.svg Terek Division
Flag of Russia.svg Volunteer Army
Flag of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (1919-1929).svg Ukrainian Soviet Army
Flag RSFSR 1918.svg 13th Army (RSFSR)
Commanders and leaders
Flag of Russia.svg Vladimir May-Mayevsky
Flag of Russia.svg Alexander Kutepov
Flag of Russia.svg Sergei Toporkov
Flag of Russia.svg Anton Turkul
Flag of Russia.svg Andrei Shkuro
Flag of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (1919-1929).svg Vladimir Antonov-Ovseyenko
Flag RSFSR 1918.svg Anatoliy Gekker

The Kharkiv Operation was a military campaign of the Russian Civil War in June 1919, in which White forces captured the important industrial center of Kharkiv from the Bolsheviks, in preparation for an advance on Moscow.

The Battle

After months of heavy fighting in the Donbass and Don region, the Red Southern Front collapsed, allowing the Volunteer Army to launch a major attack towards the North and West. In June, the Whites undertook a successful offensive in the directions of Yekaterinoslav and Kharkiv.

By the second half of June 1919, the main forces of the Volunteer Army (most of the forces of the 1st Army and 3rd Kuban Cavalry Corps, in total 6 infantry and cavalry divisions) under the command of General Vladimir May-Mayevsky approached Kharkiv still controlled by the Red Army, and began to prepare for the assault. The main offensive on the city was developed by forces of the 1st Army Corps of General Alexander Kutepov from the south and south-east.
The city was taken after 5 days of heavy fighting.

Results

Denikin and his generals in Kharkiv, 28 June 1919. Denikin na Nikolaevskoi ploshchadi Khar'kova iiun' 1919.jpg
Denikin and his generals in Kharkiv, 28 June 1919.

As a result of the capture of Kharkiv, the Volunteer Army destroyed an important stronghold of the Red Army on its way to Kursk and Moscow. They also captured an important stock of weapons: armored cars, armored trains, machine guns and ammunition, and seized an important industrial center.
Thus, the AFSR were able to control a strategically important city, while also replenishing its resources and gaining the use of Kharkiv's industrial potential.

On July 3, Anton Denikin promulgated his Moscow Directive, marking the start of the campaign against Moscow.