20 Facts About Nykyfor Hryhoriv

Nykyfor Hryhoriv is today considered one of the most influential rebel leaders of the Otamanshchyna phenomenon.

Nykyfor Hryhoriv studied at a feldsher school, but interrupted his studies to volunteer for the Imperial Russian Army and fight in the Russo-Japanese War.

Nykyfor Hryhoriv then deserted from the army and returned to Oleksandriia.

Nykyfor Hryhoriv initially supported the seizure of power by Pavlo Skoropadskyi and the establishment of the Ukrainian State, under the protection of the Central Powers.

The troops under the command of Nykyfor Hryhoriv captured Verbluzhka and Oleksandriia, after which he declared himself the otaman of the insurgent forces of "the land of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Taurida", although he actually controlled only Kherson.

On 2 February 1919, more than a month after the proclamation of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in Kharkiv and three days before the capture of Kyiv by the Red Army, Nykyfor Hryhoriv agreed to recognize the suzerainty of the government of the Ukrainian SSR and the command of the Red Army in Ukraine.

Nykyfor Hryhoriv agreed to transform his troops into regular units.

Nykyfor Hryhoriv's move to the side of the Red Army forced the Ukrainian People's Army to withdraw to Podolia and Volhynia.

On 6 April 1919, Nykyfor Hryhoriv's brigade captured Odesa, which had been abandoned the day before by French intervention troops.

The successes achieved by Nykyfor Hryhoriv meant that, after the capture of Odesa, he was appointed commander of the newly established 6th Ukrainian Soviet Division, and he was proposed to be awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

However, Nykyfor Hryhoriv actually sent his troops for a three-week "rest", allowing the soldiers to return to their places of origin.

Nykyfor Hryhoriv's brigade scattered throughout Kherson, taking weapons, equipment and supplies, and for the next three weeks his soldiers engaged in looting.

In Yelizavethrad, Nykyfor Hryhoriv's troops destroyed the party headquarters and disarmed a Red battalion.

Nykyfor Hryhoriv gained some support from the peasants, who turned against the Bolsheviks, refusing to accept forced food requisitions and repressions by the Cheka.

Nykyfor Hryhoriv was joined by sailors in Mykolaiv and Ochakiv, and even found some support in Podolia.

Nevertheless, after the first clashes with the Red Army, Nykyfor Hryhoriv's troops began to surrender or return to the Reds' command.

The main grouping of Nykyfor Hryhoriv's forces was defeated in battle at Kamianka.

Nykyfor Hryhoriv's supporters managed to hold on to Beryslav, Kakhovka and Nikopol for some time, attacking military transports going to Crimea and raiding towards Oleksandriia.

In June 1919, Nestor Makhno met with Nykyfor Hryhoriv, proposing a joint fight against both the Red and White armies.

Nykyfor Hryhoriv considered going over to the side of the Whites and subordinating himself to Anton Denikin, which the Makhnovists considered a betrayal.