Key Facts
- Date of storming
- 5–8 February 1918 (N.S.)
- Julian calendar dates
- 23–26 January 1918 (O.S.)
- City occupied
- 9 February 1918
- Bolshevik commander
- Mikhail Muravyov
- Ukrainian government evacuation
- Relocated to Zhytomyr
Strategic Narrative Overview
Red Guards commander Mikhail Muravyov led Bolshevik forces in an assault on Kyiv between 5 and 8 February 1918 (New Style). The attacking formations overcame Ukrainian defenses in street fighting across the city. The assault was swift and decisive, overrunning the capital before the Ukrainian government could mount an effective resistance or receive external relief.
01 / The Origins
Following the October Revolution, Bolshevik Russia sought to extend Soviet authority over Ukraine, whose Central Rada had declared autonomy. The Red Guards of Petrograd and Moscow were dispatched as part of a broader Soviet expeditionary force operating against Don Cossack leader Kaledin and the Ukrainian Central Council. The operation unfolded while peace talks at Brest-Litovsk were ongoing, heightening the political stakes for both sides.
03 / The Outcome
Bolshevik troops occupied Kyiv on 9 February 1918, the same day Ukraine signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with the Central Powers, which included a clause calling for German and Austro-Hungarian military intervention. The Ukrainian Central Rada evacuated to Zhytomyr. Shortly after, German and Austro-Hungarian forces advanced into Ukraine under the treaty terms, compelling the Bolsheviks to withdraw from Kyiv within weeks.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Mikhail Artemyevich Muravyov.
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.