Ukrainian People's Army - Structure

Structure

The headquarters of the Ukrainian Armed forces was called the General Bulawa. The original structure of the army, as designated by the Tsentralna Rada, planned to organize an optimistic eight infantry corps and four cavalry divisions. But these plans were never realized due to the internal struggle for power in Ukraine. Instead, the army was hastily formed of various armed volunteer units and 'Free Cossacks'. But in May 1919 (long after the Directorate assumed power), the Ukrainian people's army was forced to reorganize after its manpower dropped from 100,000 to 15,000 in just five months of warfare with Soviet Russia. According to then Ukrainian politician Volodymyr Vynnychenko mainly because of communist propaganda. The new, semi-organized structure was made up of five brigade-sized "army groups" and a large number of 'Free Cossacks':

• Zaporozhian Corps
  • Sich Riflemen, which were disbanded in late 1919 (5,000 servicemen)
  • Zaporizhtsy group (3,000 servicemen)
  • Volynska group (4,000 servicemen)
  • Udovychenko's regiment (1,200 servicemen)
  • Tutunnyka's group (1,500)

In May 1920 in the middle of the Polish-Soviet War, the army was once again forced to reorganize, after its strength more than doubled in size. The new structure included: six infantry and one cavalry division. Each infantry division was to have three brigades armed with artillery, a cavalry regiment and an engineer regiment. The single cavalry division had six mounted regiments. The formation of six reserve brigades was also attempted, but this was only partially successful. The reinforcement brigades were later made into an under strength, two brigade machine gun division. Thus, the structure was, as follows:

• Zaporozhian Corps
  • 1st Infantry Zaporizhska Division
  • 2nd Infantry Volynska Division
  • 3rd Infantry Zalizna Division
  • 4th Infantry Kyivska Division
  • 5th Infantry Khernoska Division
  • 6th Infantry Sichovykh Striltsiv Division
  • 1st Machine Gun Division
  • 1st Cavalry Division