Siege of Veprik

Siege of Veprik Part of the Great Northern War The Swedish assault of Veprik 1709 Date December 23, 1708 (O.S.) December 24, 1708 (Swedish calendar) January 3, 1709 (N.S.) Location Veprik, Ukraine Result Swedish victory Belligerents Swedish Empire Tsardom of Russia Commanders and leaders Charles XII of Sweden Berndt Otto Stackelberg Colonel Ferber Strength 3,000 1,500 Casualties and losses 400 killed 600 wounded 1,500 killed, wounded or captured

Great Northern War Campaigns Denmark Russia and the Baltic provinces Poland-Lithuania/Saxony Ottoman Empire Sweden and Northern Germany Norway Finland Battles 1st Riga 1st Tönning Humlebæk 1st Narva Petschora Düna Rauge Erastfer Druskininkai Vilnius Klissow Hummelshof Nöteborg Saladen Pultusk Systerbäck Wesenberg Thorn Jakobstadt Posen 2nd Narva Punitz Gemauerthof Warsaw Praga 1st Grodno Fraustadt Kletsk Kalisz 2nd Grodno Holowczyn Neva Malatitze Rajovka Lesnaya Desna Koniecpol Veprik Oposhnya Krasnokutsk–Gorodnoye Sokolki Poltava Perevolochna 2nd Riga 2nd Vyborg Pruth Campaign Helsingborg Køge Bay Gadebusch 2nd Tönning Bender Finland Hogland Pälkäne Storkyro Gangut Stralsund Fehmarn Rügen Stresow Dynekilen Göteborg Strömstad Fredriksten Carolean Death March Ösel Stäket Grengam Treaties Charles XII invasion of Russia Grodno II Holowczyn Neva Malatitze Rajovka Lesnaya Desna Baturyn Koniecpol Veprik Oposhnya Krasnokutsk–Gorodnoye Sokolki Poltava Perevolochna

The Siege of Veprik took place on January 3 to January 17, 1709 during the Swedish invasion of Russia in the Great Northern War. After the unusual cold winter, many troops had died from both armies and Charles XII of Sweden decided to siege the Russian city of Veprik to put pressure on Tsar Peter I of Russia. In the town there was a garrison of about 1,500 men. After the Russian commander Colonel Ferber refused to surrender, Charles XII started a bombardment of the town and later, on 17 January also an assault. After about two hours of intense fighting the Swedes pulled back, unable to capture the town. However, the Russians surrendered on the night to the 18th January and the Swedes could march in by diplomatic. The result of the capture was little, another town had fallen for the Russians but in a strategic view, not much had changed. About 400 Swedes was killed and another 600 wounded. The whole Russian garrison was either killed, captured or wounded. After several days Charles XII burnt down the town.

References

• Bengt Liljegren (2000). Karl XII: En biografi. Lund: Historiska Media. pp. 167.
• Peter From (2007). Katastrofen vid Poltava - Karl XII:s ryska fälttåg 1707-1709. Lund: Historiska Media. pp. 251.