Battle for Height 958

Battle of Makivka
Part of the Eastern Front of the World War I
Battle near Kozevo village
Date 14 – 22 April 1915 Location Makivka [uk; ru], Austria-Hungary Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Austria-Hungary  Germany	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Major general Ignaz Fleischmann	Vladimir Alftan
Units involved
1st and 2nd Ukrainian Sich Riflemen regiments 55th Austrian Infantry Division	78th Infantry Division
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Heavy[a] and 8 flamethrowers[2]	3,170 casualties

Battle for Height 958 (In modern Ukrainian literature, it is customary to use the name Battle of Makivka[3]) was a relatively small Russian operation to gain altitude in the Carpathian mountains. In German and Austrian literature, this event is practically not mentioned anywhere, but in Ukrainian literature this event is very well covered because the bulk of the troops in the battle were Ukrainians. The battle ended with the capture of the height, but the Russians could not develop a major offensive to the rear of the Austro-Hungarian forces.

Background

Markova (Makivka in Ukrainian) is a town in the Carpathian mountains.

Legacy

The battle is a source of national pride in Ukraine. It was the first major battle of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen. The battle also raised the morale of the Ukrainian people.[4] The battle is celebrated in museum displays, monuments, patriotic songs and a movie.[5]

References

1. Kashirin 2010.
2. Oleynikov 2023, p. 105.
3. Бої за Маківку
4. Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Makivka
5. The New York Times. THE GREAT WAR: A Battle in Ukraine Echoes Through the Decades

Bibliography

• Kashirin, Vasili (2010). Взятие горы Маковка [Capture of Makivka Hill] (in Russian).
• Oleynikov, Alexei (2023). Германский натиск на Восток 1915 [The German push to the East 1915] (in Russian). ISBN 978-5-4484-4327-5.

Notes

1. The Russians took 3,006 prisoners alone, and in the battles of April 22, during the storming of the mountain, the total losses amounted to 2,000 people[1]