Soviet Forces on the Eastern Front
The original is from the Central State Archives of the Soviet Army of the USSR (TsGASA) via "The history of the Civil War in the USSR. 1918-1922: Documents and Materials" found at Electronic Library of Historical Documents.
Soviet Ukrainian Forces 24 December 1918
This was the Soviet forces that invaded the Ukraine as the Germans and Austro-Hungarians withdrew.
| Bayonets | Sabres | MGs | Guns | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Brigade, 1st Soviet Ukr. ID | 3 100 | 410 | 76 | 11 | HQ in Starodub |
| 2nd Soviet Ukr. ID | 5 100 | 510 | 39 | 9 | HQ in Belgorod |
| Communication Battalion, 2nd Soviet Ukr. ID | 180 specialists, 40 workers | In L'gov | |||
| 1st Soviet Ukr. Reserve Infantry Brigade | 1 800 | 130 | 22 | – | HQ in Glukhov |
| 2nd Soviet Ukr. Reserve Infantry Brigade | 6 000 men in training, no weapons | HQ in Sudzha | |||
| Border Guard Regiments | 3 835 | 200 | – | – | |
| Special Formations | 250 | 100 | 2 | – | |
| Total | 14 085 | 1 350 | 139 | 20 | + 6 220 training |
It was, even by the standards of the civil war, a time of extreme change, as these units were pressed together from a range of origins. The men listed changed daily – and according to the needs of the person counting, to emphasize strength or to beg for more support.
The Chervonno Horse Regiment (later Brigade) was part of the 1st Ukr. Division.
Some of the cavalry did not have horses at this point, and the MGs and guns were short on ammunition. This was soon rectified as the cities fell.