Mikhail Artemyevich Muravyov

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Mikhail Artemyevich Muravyov (Russian: Михаи́л Арте́мьевич Муравьёв) (September 25 [O.S. September 13] 1880 – July 11, 1918) was a Russian officer who changed sides during the time of the Civil War.

He was born in a village near Vetluga to a peasant family. In 1898 he entered the army, serving in the Russo-Japanese War and World War I, in which he was a lieutenant colonel on the Southwestern Front. After the February Revolution he organized volunteer units to continue the war, but he became disaffected from the Provisional Government and joined the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries. During the October Revolution he defended Petrograd against the forces of Kerensky, and in January 1918 he led Red Guard units against the Central Rada of Ukraine and the White forces of General Kaledin. However, after he had been named commander of the eastern front, fighting the Czechoslovak Legion, he heard of the Left SR revolt against the Bolsheviks in early July and left the front open, allowing the White capture of Simbirsk. Finding himself without support from his troops, he shot himself nonfatally, was captured by the Bolsheviks, resisted arrest, and was killed.