Battle of Kobryń (1920)

The Battle of Kobryn took place on between 11 and 23 September 1920, during the Polish–Soviet War. Polish Fourth Army, commanded by General Leonard Skierski defeated Soviet forces in the area of Kobryn (present-day Belarus).

After the

.

Facing them was newly created Soviet Fourth Army, consisting of two rifle divisions (48th and 57th), and 17th Cavalry Division. These units were supported by 19th and 55th Rifle Divisions, which had completed their concentration in the first half of September. After additional reinforcements brought from Russia, the Soviets had a numerical advantage along the frontline.

General Skierski, aware of the Soviet plans, decided to forestall their advance, and ordered the 14th I.D. to capture

, and then attacked the Polish 57th Infantry Regiment. Heavy fighting ensued, but despite Soviet superiority, the Poles kept their ground.

On 16 September regiments of Polish 16th I.D. were forced to retreat, but on the next day, after reinforcements had been brought, Polish soldiers recaptured the lost territory. In two days of fighting (16 and 17 September) the Poles lost 500 soldiers dead and wounded, and to draw the Soviets away from Kobryn General Skierski created the Operational Group of General Michal Milewski to carry out a raid on Pruzhany. The town was captured on the night of 18–19 September but fighting there continued until 22 September.

Fighting over Kobryn and Pruzana tied down the whole Soviet Fourth Army, which removed the threat of the capture of Brest Fortress, and allowed the Polish Army headquarters to prepare an operational plan for the Battle of the Niemen River. Furthermore, the Soviet 12th Army, fighting in Volhynia, had to retreat, as its wing came under Polish pressure.

The battle is commemorated on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw, with the inscription "KOBRYN 14 – 15 IX 1920".

Sources

• Odziemkowski, J. (2004). Leksykon wojny polsko–rosyjskiej 1919–1920. Warsaw: RYTM.