Kakhovka Base of Operations

a fortified region on the left bank of the Dnieper, near Bol’shaia Kakhovka (now the city of Kakhovka), during the Civil War of 1918–20.

The base of operations was formed on Aug. 7, 1920, as a result of the offensive of the Right-bank Group of troops of the Southwestern Front under the command of R. P. Eideman. It created a threat to the rear and the communications lines of Wrangel’s troops in Northern Taurida and the Crimea and contained their actions, preventing them from developing an offensive toward the north. The base was maintained until mid-October, under the direction of the military engineer D. M. Karbyshev. A deeply echeloned defense of three zones was organized. The advance edge of the main defense zone ran along the Ekaterinovka-Sofiev-ka-Liubimovka line and then south of the khutor (privately owned homestead) of Sukhina, extending to the Dnieper. The defense zone consisted of two or three lines of trenches with communication trenches and barbed-wire barriers; mine fields were laid on the major axes. The first line of defense consisted of individual trenches and barbed-wire barriers and was about 40 km long. The base of operations was from 12 to 15 km deep and had an area of 216 sq km. A zone of bridgeheads was set up directly in front of Kakhovka. The base had artillery positions and observation points and four river crossings in the rear.

The repeated attempts of Wrangel’s troops in August and September to liquidate the Kakhovka base of operations with the support of tanks, artillery, and air power were repulsed by Soviet troops (15th, 52nd, and Latvian divisions), who displayed exceptional heroism in combat. Relying on the Kakhovka base of operations, in October 1920, Soviet troops struck their main blow at Wrangel’s White Guard troops in Northern Taurida.