Belyi, Vasilii

Born Jan. 19(31), 1854, in Ekaterinodar; died Jan. 7 (20), 1913, in Tsarskoe Selo. Russian general in the artillery (1911) and hero of the defense of Lüshun (Port Arthur). Came from the Kuban’ cossacks.

Beginning in 1869, Belyi served in the artillery of the Kuban’ Cossack host and was made an officer in 1873. He took part in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 and distinguished himself during the siege of Kars. He served in the fortress artillery at Kars, Warsaw, and Sevastopol’. In 1900 he became commander of the fortress artillery in Kwangtung. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–5 he skillfully organized the artillery defense of Port Arthur, worked out rules for signaling and for patrol duty, and was the first person to employ gunfire from hidden positions. He was opposed to the surrender of Port Arthur. In 1906 he became commander of the Vladivostok fortress artillery. He retired in 1911.