7th Ukrainian Soviet Division


The 7th Ukrainian Soviet Division was a military unit of the Red Army during the Russian Civil War in the armed forces of the Ukrainian SSR.

History

On 24 March 1919, the Revolutionary Military Council of the Ukrainian Front made a decision to create the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Soviet Armies. On 15 April, it reorganized the divisions of the 2nd and 3rd armies into nine regimental divisions.
The 2nd Ukrainian Soviet Army included units of the Group of Forces of the Kharkov direction, which were consolidated into 2 regular divisions:
  • The 3rd Ukrainian Soviet Division.
  • The 7th Ukrainian Soviet Division.
The anarchist Nestor Makhno, the head of the 3rd Zadneprovskaya brigade, was appointed head of the 7th Ukrainian Soviet division. Meanwhile, the bolshevik Yakov Zakharovich Pokus, the chief of staff of the 3rd Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Ukrainian Soviet Division and acting commander of the 2nd Separate Brigade, was appointed chief of staff. In April–June, the division fought with the troops of the Armed Forces of South Russia under the command of Anton Denikin – the Volunteer Army and the Army of the Don Republic.
On 6 June, the chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council Leon Trotsky issued an order in which he declared the head of the 7th Ukrainian Soviet Division Nestor Makhno outlawed "for the collapse of the front and insubordination to the command." On 8 June, Alexander Semyonovich Krusser replaced Makhno as head of the division. The division then occupied the front section "from the Sea of Azov to Novuspenovka". On 9 June, Krusser issued an order to take over as division chief. He died on the night of 9–10 June at the Pologi station of the Tavricheskaya province during a machine-gun attack on the armored train that he was inside.
Pokus was subsequently appointed commander of the 1st Brigade of the 7th Ukrainian Soviet Division, on 24 June, and later appointed commander of the 3rd regiment of the Separate Bashkir Cavalry Division, on 6 July.