Battle of Kiev (January 1919)

The Battle of Kyiv in January 1919 was one of the three battles in Kyiv (Kiev), the capital of Ukraine during the Russian Civil War and Ukrainian–Soviet War. It involved an offensive by elements of the Ukrainian Front of the Red Army to capture Kyiv.^[1]

The battle was a part of the General Offensive of the Ukrainian Front in Ukraine. On 12 December 1918 Red Army troops invaded Ukrainian territory, occupying Novhorod-Siverskyi and Shostka. On 21 December the Bolsheviks started their advance on Kharkiv, and on 24 December the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs of the Russian SFSR declared its recognition of the Ukrainian People's Republic following the Treaty of Brest null and void. At the same time, Bolshevik foreign minister Georgy Chicherin denied the presence of Russian troops in Ukrainian territory, claiming Red Army troops to be subordinate to the "entirely independent" Soviet Ukrainian government.^[2]

In mid-January 1919 Ukrainian People's Republic issued an official declaration of war against Soviet Russia. On 22 January, Nizhyn was occupied. On 24 January, the Red Army approached Brovary and occupied the city after fierce fighting. By the end of January the Red Army had occupied most of Left-bank Ukraine.^[2] On 5 February, after three days of fighting, the Red Army entered Kyiv. After the occupation, the government of Soviet Ukraine moved into the city.^[2]

The Soviet offensive forced the premature closure of the Labour Congress of Ukraine, which on 22 January 1919 had adopted the Unification Act of Ukrainian People's Republic and West Ukrainian People's Republic.^[3]

50°24′N 30°32′E / 50.40°N 30.54°E / 50.40; 30.54