Petro Petrenko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Petro Petrenko
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| Native name |
Петро Петренко
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| Other name(s) | Petro Platonov |
| Nickname(s) | Petro Blyskavka |
| Born | 1890 Velykomykhailivka, Pokrovske, Katerynoslav, Russian Empire |
| Died | 26 August 1921 (aged 30–31) Kherson, Ukraine |
| Allegiance |  Russian Empire (1914–1917) Makhnovshchina (1918–1921) |
| Service |  Imperial Russian Army (1914–1917) Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Ukraine (1918–1921) |
| Years of service | 1914–1921 |
| Battles/wars | World War I Ukrainian War of Independence
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Petro Petrenko (1890–1921) was a Ukrainian military leader. He served in the Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Ukraine. This army was a group of rebels who fought for an independent Ukraine.
Contents
Early Life and World War I
Petro Petrenko was born in 1890 in the village of Velykomykhailivka. When World War I began, he was called to fight. He served on the Eastern Front and became an officer, reaching the rank of ensign.
After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Petrenko went back to his hometown. He joined a local group that wanted to change society. He played an important part in the rebellion against the Ukrainian State.
Joining the Insurgents
On September 30, 1918, Petrenko joined the rebel forces led by Nestor Makhno. He fought in the Battle of Dibrivka. In this battle, the rebels defeated the Austro-Hungarian Army. They also took back Petrenko's hometown.
Later, on November 15, 1918, the rebels were attacked by a Hungarian group at Temyrivka. They lost many soldiers. Petrenko helped save Makhno and led the rebels' retreat. This defeat made the rebels reorganize their forces. They then fought their enemies on many fronts.
Leading the Northern Front
Petrenko was given command of the front line from Chaplyne to Hryshyne. This was part of a larger rebel organization under Makhno's command. With Petrenko in Hryshyne, the Makhnovshchina (the rebel movement) became very strong in the Katerynoslav area.
Around this time, the Central Powers (like Austria-Hungary) were leaving Ukraine. This created a power vacuum, meaning no one group was fully in charge. Many groups fought for control, including Ukrainian nationalists, the Bolsheviks, and the White movement. Petrenko was put in charge of the northern front against the Ukrainian People's Army. He soon led about 10,000 fighters from different left-wing groups. Petrenko sometimes reported that his soldiers were not always disciplined. He mentioned delays in following orders.
Conflict with the Bolsheviks
The rebel forces later joined the 1st Zadneprovsk Ukrainian Soviet Division, which was a Bolshevik (Communist) division. Petrenko served as chief of staff for the Bolshevik commander, Pavel Dybenko.
However, by April 1919, Petrenko disagreed with his commander. Dybenko tried to stop the Third Regional Congress. Petrenko was a member of the Military Revolutionary Council. He signed a letter to Dybenko, explaining why the Congress was important. He refused to stop it and promised to hold more Congresses in the future.
Later Campaigns and Death
During the Northern Taurida Operation, Petrenko helped the rebels capture Huliaipole from the Whites. On October 17, he led a group of soldiers with machine guns and artillery. They attacked the Drozdov Division, defeating them and taking back the rebel capital.
After the White movement was defeated at the siege of Perekop, the Bolsheviks turned against their rebel allies. The rebels had to change their fighting style to guerrilla warfare against the Red Army. Makhno taught Petrenko this new strategy.
In March 1921, the rebels split their forces because the Red Army was putting a lot of pressure on them. Petrenko became the commander of the main rebel group during this time of guerrilla warfare. After some defeats, on March 12, Petrenko led 1,500 cavalry soldiers and two infantry regiments. They defended against Red Army attacks, defeating some units and capturing their equipment. But on March 14, their counterattack failed, and they had to split up again. Fighting continued for several months.
By the summer of 1921, most of the rebels were gone. A small group, including Makhno, decided to flee to another country. They began to retreat towards the border, constantly attacked by the Red Army. On August 26, 1921, Petrenko was killed in battle with a Red cavalry division in Kherson province. Two days later, the remaining rebels crossed into Romania to live in exile.
