Armed Forces of South Russia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Armed Forces of South Russia (Вооружённые силы Юга России in Russian, or Vooruzhenniye sily Yuga Rossii) was the major White Russian force in the south of Russia during the Russian Civil War.

Formed on the 8th of January 1919, it incorporated many of the smaller formations of the White army in that area under them, including the Volunteer Army (which was renamed the Caucasian Volunteer Army). Besides the Volunteer Army, the ASFR included the Army of the Don, the Crimean-Azov Army, the Forces of Northern Caucasus and the Army of Turkestan.

In January it numbered 51,000 Infantry, 34,000 Cavalry, 204 Field guns, 682 machine guns and 6 armoured trains. By July 1919 it had grown to 104,000 Infantry, 56,000 Cavalry, 600 Field guns, 1,500 machine guns, 19 aircraft, 34 armoured trains, 1 Cruiser, 5 Destroyers, 4 Submarines and 20 Gunboats. By October, after heavy loses and the transfer of units to other armies, the armies strength fell drastically.

In April 1920 Denikin, commander-in-chief of the ASFR, delegated all authority to Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel, who took command of the so-called "Russian Army", which included all units remaining from the SFR after its defeat.

[edit] Order of Battle of the ASFR, Early 1919

Volunteer Army (renamed Caucasian Volunteer Army)
  • 1st Army Corps (Gen. Kutepov)
  • 2nd Army Corps (Gen. Promtov)
  • 5th Cavalry Corps (Gen. Yuzefovitch)
  • 3rd Kuban Cavalry Corps (Gen. Shkuro)
  • Kiev Army Group (Gen. Bredov)
Army of the Don
  • Northern Group (Starshina Semiletov)
  • Southern Group (Gen. S. Denisov)
  • Trans-Don (Zadonskaya) Group (Col. Bykadorov)
Army of the Caucasus
  • 1st Kuban Corps (Gen. Pokrovsky)
  • 2nd Kuban Corps (Gen. Ulaguy, later Gen. Nahumenko)
  • 4th Kuban Corps (Gen. Shatilov, later Gen. Toporkov)
Army of Turkestan
  • Zakaspiyskaya Composite Inf. Division (Maj.Gen. Lazarev)
  • Turkestankaya Rifle Division ( Maj.Gen. Litvinov)
  • Cavalry Division (Maj.Gen. Oraz-Khan Sedar)
  • 15,000 Basmachi fighters (Djunaid Kahn)