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Sirko's Sloboda-Dnieper Campaign

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Sloboda-Dnieper Campaign
Part of the Left-Bank Uprising
Date4 March – May 1668
LocationSloboda, Dnieper Ukraine
Result Cossack victory
Belligerents
Sirko's Cossacks Tsardom of Russia
Commanders and leaders
Ivan Sirko Grigory Romodanovsky
Fyodor Repka †
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Heavy

The Sloboda-Dnieper Campaign was organised and carried out by Zaporozhian Cossack rebel leader Ivan Sirko against Tsardom of Russia as part of Left-Bank Uprising, from 4 March to May 1668.

Prelude

In 1668, Ivan Sirko held a position of Zmiev colonel. As the uprising against Tsar begun, Sirko himself became convinced of the injustices that “Moscow boyars and voivodes” were guilty of committing. Sirko established contacts with Cossack rebel leaders, particularly with Petro Doroshenko and advocated for Cossack rights. Evidence suggests that Ivan Sirko could’ve been among instigators of the uprising and planned it during late 1667.

Campaign

On March 4, 1668, Sirko launched a series of revolts in Merefa, Tsareborisov, Mayatsk, Valki, Chervonyi Kut and Torsk salt lakes. On March 11, Sirko headed to Kharkiv with the goal of capturing it. Kharkiv governor Lev Sytin was concerned about Sirko’s activities and informed Prince Grigory Romodanovsky about this, with same sentiment being expressed by Chuhuiv governor. Romodanovsky reassured Chuhuiv governor that Kharkiv population remained loyal and he should maintain contact with Sytin, while also taking punitive actions on “traitors from Cherkasy”. Sirko abandoned his plan to capture Kharkiv due to lack of local support. Sloboda Ukraine with exception of Kharkiv went over to Sirko's side. However, Sirko still achieved a level of success in Kharkiv, with the killing of Tsarist Kharkiv colonel Fyodor Repka.

After his campaign in Sloboda, Sirko headed to Dnieper Ukraine. Sirko defeated Russian troops near Okhtyrka and Poltava. On April, Sirko captured the Borove settlement. On May, Sirko captured the Kolontaiv and Martova settlements. After his campaign, Sirko went across the Dnieper to meet with Doroshenko in Chyhyryn.

Aftermath

Ivan Sirko brought Sloboda and Dnieper Ukraine under Cossack rebel control or influence. Ivan Bryukhovetsky attempted to capitalize on Sirko’s military success, trying to get more colonels to his side, saying that Ivan Sirko went over to his side and already driven out Russian troops from “many Ukrainian Slobozhan cities”. However, Cossack rebel leaders later had to deal with infighting, such as conflict between Doroshenko and Sich leader Sukhovy, with Ivan Sirko supporting Doroshenko.

References

  1. ^ Dmytro Yavornytskyi (2004). Tvory. Tandem-U. p. 350. ISBN 966-7482-31-6.
  2. ^ Kolovrat-Butenko, Yuri (2017). Ivan Sirko in the history of Zmiev (In Ukrainian), p. 13.
  3. Vlasov, V. S. (2016). History of Ukraine. Litera. p. 160. ISBN 978-966-945-271-9.
  4. Notes of the Ukrainian Scientific Society in Kyiv. Book 3 (In Ukrainian) , p. 141.
  5. Yuriy Mytsyik (1999). Otaman Ivan Sirko (In Ukrainian). Zaporizhzhia: Tandem-U.
  6. Владимир Павлович Загоровский (1980). Изюмская черта (In Russian), p. 14.
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