The Russo-Polish War (1654) was a long and vicious armed conflict between Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth over the Byelorussian and the Ukrainian territory. The main cause of the war was the increasing tension between the two countries in the 1640’s, especially after the outbreak of the War of the Liberation of the Ukrainian People from Polish rule (1648–54). Until 1654, a growing class struggle in Russia during the 1648–51 period, precarious finances, and military unpreparedness had postponed active Russian intervention on the side of the Ukrainian people. On October 1, 1653, the Zemskie Sobory (Russian Assembly) had agreed to receive the Ukraine under Russian rule. This was tantamount to an official declaration of war on Poland. During the Russo-Polish War, Czar Alexis I, Romanov, was on the throne in Russia.
The main Russian army was composed of more than 41,000 men, including artillery. Led by Prince Yakov Cherkassky, Nikita Odoevsky, and Prince Temkin-Rostovsky, the Russian forces launched an early offensive and took Belaia and Dorogobuzh in July, 1654, also laying siege to Smolensk. However, the Russian Army could not storm and capture Smolensk, because Janusz Radziwill’s Lithuanian army of about 11,000 men attacked from the vicinity of Orsha. This action forced Prince Cherkassky to send troops to meet the threat. The Polish attack was hindered and the Russian captured Orsha, routing Radziwill's forces at Shklov. On September 23, Russian troops finally managed to captur Smolensk.
In the autumn of 1654 the Russian Army launched an offensive against the fortresses of Livland Województwo in the Polish Commonwealth, taking Lucyn (now Ludza), Pzeżyca (now Rēzekne), and Łuża. At the same time, combined Russo-Ukrainian forces, under Bohdan Khmelnitsky and A. V. Buturlin launched an offensive from the vicinity of Fastov and captured Ostrog, Mezhireche, Rovno, and other cities. In the winter and spring of 1654–55, Polish-Lithuanian troops under Radziwill, Gąsiewski, and other commanders invaded the liberated regions of Byelorussia, relieved Staryi Bykhov, and captured Kopys’, Dubrovno, and Orsha. In the Ukraine, the Poles and their Tatar allies defeated the Russian and Ukrainian troops at Zhashkov. However, an unsuccessful three-month siege of Mogilev and the defeat of the Polish and Tatar armies at Akhmatov (January 1655) by Sheremetev and Khmelnitsky frustrated the Commonwealth’s offensive. Cherkasskys army and Zolotarenko’s forces took Minsk on July 3, 1655, and the main Russian army captured Wilno (Vilnius) on July 31 and Kovno (Kaunas) and Grodno in August.
In the summer of 1655, Sweden opened hostilities against Poland. Swedish troops captured Poznań and Kalisz in July, Warsaw in August, and then Kraków, and, in the Baltic region, Dynaburg (Daugavpils, Dünaburg). The Swedish victories drastically altered Russia’s foreign policy. In an attempt to prevent total Swedish domination of the Baltic, the Russian government in late 1655 began preparing for war with Sweden. It brought its military actions against Poland to a halt and in the spring of 1656 opened negotiations with the Polish government. However, the only result was an agreement, on October 23 (Nov. 2), 1656, to suspend military operations and to resume the negotiations after one year. In May 1656, Russia declared war on Sweden.
After a cease fire, the Russo-Polish War resumed in 1658. Between 1658 and 1659, the Russian troops overcame the szlachta’s treachery in Byelorussia and thus retained most of the territory they had previously liberated. In December 1659, Russian troops look Staryi Bykhov. the Russian troops overcame the szlachta’s treachery in Byelorussia and thus retained most of the territory they had previously liberated. In December 1659, Russian troops look Staryi Bykhov.
Treaty of Andrusov
The war would continue inconclusively, with attacks and counterattacks, with both armies capturing towns and cities in Byelorussia and Ukraine. However, the domestic situations both in Poland and Russia had deteriorated, with internal conflicts. Thus, the two countries entered into negotiations, which would be inconclusive and led nowhere. Finally, after a series of military action, the two nations resumed the negotiations in April 1666. Thus, forced by mutual exhaustion, Russia and Poland signed the Treaty of Andrusov of 1667, through which Poland recognized the annexation of all the Ukrainian territory lying to the east of the Dnieper River. On the other hand, Russia recognized all the territory located to the west of this European river as Polish territory. Also Kiev and its surrounding tract of land were ceded to Russia.
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| Above, a late 17th century painting depicting the Cossack forces attacking the Polish Army's rear during the Russo-Polish War. |
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