Sack of Baturyn

Sack of Baturyn (Ukrainian: Захоплення Батурина, Russian: Взятие Батурина) (1-2 November 1708), sometimes also referred to as the Slaughtering in Baturyn, was a part of series of punishing raids conducted by the Russian Imperial Army against Mazepa and Cossack state. On 2 November 1708, upon the sack of Baturyn, its entire civil population was exterminated (~7,000 according to Serhiy Pavlenko), while the "Hetman Residence" was completely obliterated.

Sack of Baturyn
Part of the Great Northern War (Mazepa Affair) and the Swedish invasion of Russia

Reconstruction of the Baturyn Citadel
Date1-2 November 1708
Location
Baturyn, Cossack Hetmanate
Result Sack of the city by the Russian forces and extermination of its population
Belligerents
Cossack Hetmanate Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Colonel Chechel † Prince Menshikov
Strength
~8,000 ~25,000

Battle events

Before the storm of Baturyn, Menshikov had at his disposal approximately twenty regiments of dragoons, numbering approximately fifteen to twenty thousand troopers.[1] Baturyn at that time was a heavily fortified city reinforced with a high number of artillery.[2] He decided to use his diplomatic skills to convince the defenders to surrender and sent down Andrei Markovich with a message, but the Baturyn defenders refused and opened fire onto the Menshikov's positions.[3]

The appointed colonel Ivan Nis of Pryluky Regiment and an interpreter Stefan Zertis were arrested by Serdyuk Guards as saboteurs and attached to artillery guns. Trying to save himself from being executed for desertion, Nis was able to send to Menshikov one of his officers, Solomakha, who pointed to a secret entrance to the fortress.[4] The next morning on 2 November at six o'clock the Russian forces penetrated into the city and, after some two hours of resistance from cossacks, were victorious. After being left completely defenceless, the whole civil population of the city was tortured to death.[5]

Losses: Ukrainian Cossacks, 15 thousand including civilians. Russian forces, 3 thousand soldiers.

Notes
  1. "History of Ukrainian SSR in eight volumes". Vol.2. Kiev, 1979. p.335.
  2. Pavlenko, S. "Pyotr Velikiy". Moscow, 1990. p.282
  3. Pavlenko, p.73
  4. "History of Little Russia (Ch.47)" at Regional Universal Scientific Library of D.Chyzhevsky
  5. Pavlenko, pp.360-366

Bibliography
  • Pavlenko, S. "Perishing of Baturyn on 2 November 1708". "Ukrainska vydavnycha spilka". Kiev, 2007.
  • Pavlenko, S. "Ivan Mazepa". "Alternatyvy". Kiev, 2003.
  • Tairova-Yakovleva, T. "Mazepa". "Molodaya gvardiya". Moscow, 2007.

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