Battle for Height 958


Battle for Height 958, known in Ukrainian sources as the Battle of Makivka was a relatively small Russian operation to gain control over a height in the Beskids region of the Carpathian mountains. Usually overlooked in German and Austrian sources, the battle received significant coverage in Ukrainian literature because the bulk of Austrian 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.

Location

Makivka is a mountain in the Carpathian mountains, located in the area of Skole Beskids, 8 kilometers north of the town of Slavsko, and reaching the height of 958 meters above sea level.

Battle

After capturing Galicia in September 1914, a Russian army commanded by Nikolai Ivanov started an offensive across the Carpathians with the aim of invading Hungary. The height of Makivka was held by the Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, whose units, consisting of 7 sotnias, formed part of the 129th and 130th brigades of the Austrian army.
In the night of 28 to 29th April, numerically superior Russian troops begain storming the positions held by Ukrainian Sich Riflemen. After five days of fierce fighting, in which 47 riflemen lost their lives, 76 were wounded and many captured, Russian troops were repelled across the river Holovchanka. After the arrival of reserve troops, Russians started a new advance, which ended with the taking of Makivka on 4 May. However, as a result of heavy losses, Russian troops were unable to continue their advance, and retreated from the area following the arrival of Austrian troops one week later.

Legacy

Among Ukrainians the battle of Makivka has been widely interpreted as a victory and became a source of national pride. It was the first major battle of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen and contributed to a rise in the morale of the Ukrainian people. The battle is celebrated in museum displays, monuments, patriotic songs and a movie. The 47 Sich Riflemen fallen at Makivka were buried on the southern lopes of the mountain, where a memorial to fallen Ukrainians was created, and annual memorial services were organized at the location.

Notable participants