Izhevsk-Votkinsk Operation of 1918

a series of offensive actions of the Second Army, under the command of V.I. Shorin and with S.I. Gusev and P.K. Shternberg on the Revolutionary Military Council, in the Civil War of 1918–20. The goal of the Izhevsk-Votkinsk operation was to liquidate the salient that was formed in the front in the Izhevsk and Votkinsk region in August and that threatened the rear of the Second Army. In the first phase of the operation, from the middle of September to October 5, 7,000 to 9,000 troops of the Second Army struck from the west along the Viatskie Poliany-Sarapul railroad and from the south along the Kama River to cut off the enemy’s Izhevsk-Votkinsk force, 25,000 to 30,000 men strong. The Second Army liberated Sarapul on October 4. In the second phase, from October 15 to November 15, the first attempt to break through the White defenses south of Izhevsk failed. On November 5 the Second Army, 17,500 men strong, passed to the offensive. V.M. Azin’s shock group penetrated the enemy defense and broke into Izhevsk on November 7. On the night of November 12, Votkinsk was captured, and by November 16 the entire region was cleared of the enemy. Only 5,000 to 6,000 White Guards managed to break through beyond the Kama.