Southwestern Front

The Southwestern Front was a major operational and strategic command of the Red Army during the later stages of the Russian Civil War and the Polish–Soviet War. It existed from 10 January 1920 until 5 December 1920, although its forces and administrative predecessor had previously operated as the Southern Front. Its principal area of operations covered Ukraine, the western borderlands of Soviet Russia, and approaches toward Poland and Crimea. The front was created during the Red Army's campaign against the retreating White forces of General Anton Denikin. In January and February 1920, its armies advanced through southern Ukraine and conducted the Odessa operation, capturing Odessa on 7 February. By 1 March, the front had reached a line extending approximately from Mozyr and Ovruch through Korosten and Letichev to the Dniester River. Its attempts to capture Crimea failed, however, because the peninsula was defended by White forces under General Yakov Slashchov. During the spring and summer of 1920, the front had to conduct operations on two broad strategic axes. In the west, it fought Poland during the Polish–Soviet War. Polish advances in April and May forced Red Army formations to abandon positions at Mozyr, Ovruch, Korosten and Kyiv and withdraw toward the left bank of the Dnieper. The front then contributed to the Soviet counteroffensive, including the Kiev operation in May and June. Subsequent advances during the Novohrad-Volynskyi and Rivne operations pushed Polish forces back and brought the Red Army toward Lublin and Lviv. The front failed to capture Lviv, and its exposed forces were compelled to retreat in August after the wider Soviet defeat in the Battle of Warsaw. In the same period, front formations confronted Ukrainian and anti-Bolshevik armed groups associated with Symon Petliura, Stanisław Bułak-Bałachowicz and Boris Savinkov. The western campaign ended operationally after the armistice with Poland came into effect on 18 October 1920, after which the front's troops withdrew behind the new state boundary. The Crimean and southern sector remained active against the White Army led by Pyotr Wrangel. After withdrawals to the right bank of the Dnieper in June and July, Southwestern Front forces fought defensive actions along a line running through Kherson, Nikopol, Tokmak and Berdyansk. In August they established and held the Kakhovka bridgehead, an important position for later Soviet operations against Wrangel. Renewed White attacks in September captured or threatened Alexandrovsk, Orekhov and Sinelnikovo and endangered the Donbas. The Crimean portion of the command was separated in September 1920 to form the second Southern Front. The Southwestern Front was dissolved on 5 December 1920. Its headquarters administration was merged with that of the Kiev Military District, while the remaining front troops were placed under the district's authority. The formation therefore functioned not as a commercial brand but as a temporary Red Army theater command, organized around changing armies and operational groups during a period of civil and interstate war.

The Southwestern Front was formed on 10 January 1920 as a Red Army front during the concluding phase of the Russian Civil War and the opening phase of the Polish–Soviet War. It inherited the southern theater's responsibilities after the earlier Southern Front designation was changed. Its command covered a fluid military zone extending across Ukraine and the western borderlands of Soviet Russia, where White armies, Polish forces, Ukrainian nationalist formations and other anti-Bolshevik groups were active. Its first major task was the pursuit of the White forces associated with Anton Denikin. Southwestern Front formations advanced through southern Ukraine and captured Odessa on 7 February 1920. By early March, the front had reached a line from Mozyr and Ovruch through Korosten and Letichev toward the Dniester River. The Red Army attempted to extend the advance into Crimea, but White troops commanded by General Yakov Slashchov prevented the operation from succeeding. The front's responsibilities expanded when the conflict with Poland became the central military effort in the west. Polish advances in April and May 1920 forced Red Army troops to abandon several positions, including Kyiv, and fall back to the left bank of the Dnieper. The front then took part in the Soviet counteroffensive. During the Kiev operation and the subsequent Novohrad-Volynskyi and Rivne operations, its armies recovered ground and pushed toward the Polish frontier. The advance reached the approaches to Lublin and Lviv, but the front could not capture Lviv. In August, Soviet forces retreated after the failure of the broader offensive into Poland. Alongside conventional operations, the front fought armed formations connected with Symon Petliura, Stanisław Bułak-Bałachowicz and Boris Savinkov. The western operations were halted after the armistice with Poland on 18 October, and the troops withdrew behind the state border. The southern and Crimean theater remained contested by Pyotr Wrangel's White Army. Southwestern Front units retreated to the right bank of the Dnieper in June and July, fought defensive engagements along the Kherson–Nikopol–Tokmak–Berdyansk line and established the Kakhovka bridgehead in August. White counterattacks in September created a threat to the Donbas and contributed to the reorganization of the Soviet command. The Crimean sector was removed from Southwestern Front control and assigned to the second Southern Front. The remaining Southwestern Front organization was dissolved on 5 December 1920. Its administrative apparatus was merged with the Kiev Military District, and its troops were subordinated to that district. The front was therefore a temporary military command rather than a continuing institution or commercial organization.

1. 1920Southwestern Front created

   The former Southern Front was redesignated as the Southwestern Front on 10 January.

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2. 1920Odessa operation

   The front pursued retreating White forces and occupied Odessa on 7 February.

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3. 1920Kiev operation

   The front participated in the Red Army counteroffensive that retook Kyiv during May and June.

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4. 1920Kakhovka bridgehead established

   In August, front forces occupied and held the Kakhovka bridgehead during the campaign against Wrangel.

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5. 1920Crimean sector transferred

   The Crimean section was separated in September and assigned to the second Southern Front.

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6. 1920Front dissolved

   The Southwestern Front was disbanded on 5 December and its administration merged with the Kiev Military District.

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• 1920Odessa operation

  Southern Ukraine

  Southwestern Front forces pursued Denikin's retreating White formations and captured Odessa on 7 February.

  Outcome. Red Army occupation of Odessa and continued advance toward the Dniester.

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• 1920Crimean operations against Slashchov

  Crimea

  The front attempted to break into Crimea, where White forces under Yakov Slashchov maintained defensive positions.

  Outcome. The attempt to seize Crimea failed.

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• 1920Kiev operation

  Ukraine · Polish–Soviet frontier

  After Polish advances forced a Red Army withdrawal, Southwestern Front forces joined the Soviet counteroffensive and advanced west from the Dnieper.

  Outcome. Kyiv was retaken and Polish forces were pushed back toward western Ukraine.

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• 1920Novohrad-Volynskyi and Rivne operations

  Western Ukraine · Poland

  The front continued its westward advance after the Kiev operation, conducting operations around Novohrad-Volynskyi and Rivne.

  Outcome. The Red Army reached the approaches to Lublin and Lviv but later retreated and failed to capture Lviv.

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• 1920Kakhovka bridgehead operation

  Lower Dnieper · Southern Ukraine

  Southwestern Front forces established a bridgehead at Kakhovka during defensive and offensive operations against Wrangel's army.

  Outcome. The bridgehead became a significant Soviet position on the lower Dnieper before the Crimean command was reorganized.

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• 1920Redirection toward the Polish theaterStrategy

  The front faced simultaneous strategic demands in the west against Poland and in the south against White forces in Crimea.

  What changed. Its armies were employed in the Kiev, Novohrad-Volynskyi and Rivne operations, extending the Red Army advance toward Poland.

  Aftermath. The advance reached the approaches to Lublin and Lviv but ended in retreat during August.

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• 1920Establishment of the Kakhovka bridgeheadStrategy

  Wrangel's forces exerted pressure on the front's southern positions along the Dnieper and the northern approaches to Crimea.

  What changed. The front launched an August operation that secured the Kakhovka bridgehead.

  Aftermath. The position supported later Soviet pressure against White forces, although the Crimean sector was subsequently placed under a separate Southern Front.

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• 1920Dissolution and transfer to the Kiev Military DistrictOther

  After the armistice with Poland and the separation of the Crimean sector, the front no longer operated as a unified strategic command.

  What changed. The front was disbanded on 5 December and its headquarters administration was merged with that of the Kiev Military District.

  Aftermath. The remaining troops became subordinate to the Kiev Military District.

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• 1920Southwestern Front established from the former Southern Front

  The Red Army reorganized its southern theater command as the Southwestern Front on 10 January 1920.

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• 1920Red Army captures Odessa

  Southwestern Front forces completed the Odessa operation and occupied the city on 7 February during the campaign against Denikin's retreating White forces.

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• 1920Southwestern Front participates in the Kiev operation

  After Polish forces advanced in the spring, the front joined the Red Army counteroffensive that retook Kyiv and drove Polish forces westward.

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• 1920Lviv offensive fails and the front retreats

  The front advanced toward Lviv during the summer but failed to take the city and retreated in August after the reversal of the Soviet campaign in Poland.

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• 1920Crimean sector separated into a new Southern Front

  The Crimean portion of the Southwestern Front was separated in September and organized as the second formation of the Southern Front for operations against Wrangel.

  Leadership changeOther
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• 1920Southwestern Front dissolved

  The front was disbanded on 5 December, and its headquarters was merged with the Kiev Military District administration.

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1. Southwestern Front (RSFSR)