Mikhail Artemyevich Muravyov (September 13 [25], 1880, village of Burdukovo, Bogoyavlenskaya Volost, Varnavinsky Uyezd, Kostroma Governorate — July 11, 1918, Simbirsk) was a Russian officer and revolutionary, a Left Socialist-Revolutionary, and a lieutenant colonel. He was a native of a territory that is now part of the Vetluzhsky District of Nizhny Novgorod Region. In 1917–1918 he held senior military posts in the Soviet forces; in July 1918 he launched an armed uprising against Soviet power in Simbirsk and was killed while resisting arrest.[1]

Origins and education

He came from a peasant family and was the son of a non-commissioned officer.[2] He graduated from the Moshkino school, then from the Kostroma Teachers' Seminary (1896). In January 1898 he entered military service as a volunteer; in 1900 he was promoted to junior non-commissioned officer. In 1901 he graduated from the Kazan Infantry Cadet School and was assigned to the 1st Infantry Nevsky Regiment in Roslavl with the rank of second lieutenant.[2] The old Soviet encyclopedia states that Muravyov graduated from a theological seminary and that he finished the Kazan school in 1899; sources differ on the details of his education.[1]

Military service before the revolution

In the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, Muravyov fought with the 122nd Tambov Infantry Regiment. At the Battle of Mukden (1905) he commanded a company, was severely wounded, and was evacuated; he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class, with swords and bow, as well as the Order of St. Anna, 4th class, with the inscription "For Bravery."[2] After recovering, he underwent treatment in Italy. In 1908 he was seconded to the Kazan Infantry Cadet (later Military) School; in 1909 he was promoted to staff captain, and in 1913 to captain.[3]

In the First World War he commanded a company of the 12th Astrakhan Grenadier Regiment and received a severe chest wound; he was awarded the Gold Sword of St. George and promoted to lieutenant colonel. He was appointed a company commander at the Odessa school for training ensigns.[2]

Revolution and the Civil War

During the February Revolution of 1917, a detachment under Muravyov's command arrested General M. Ebelov, commander of the Odessa Military District. On arriving in Petrograd in March 1917, he joined the Rozhdestvensky Committee of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party (the left wing of the SR Party). At the 1st Congress of the Southwestern Front in Kamenets-Podolsk he put forward the initiative of creating volunteer shock units, after which he headed the Organizational Bureau of the All-Russian Executive Committee for recruiting volunteers and the All-Russian Volunteer Committee. In the June offensive of 1917 on the Western Front he was shell-shocked.[2]

On October 27 [November 9], 1917, he joined the staff of the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee; on October 28 [November 10] he was appointed head of the defense of Petrograd in connection with the advance of P. N. Krasnov's forces, and on October 29 [November 11] he became commander of the Petrograd Military District.[2] In December 1917 he was appointed chief of staff of the Southern Group of Soviet forces under V. A. Antonov-Ovseyenko, which operated in the Don region and Ukraine. On January 6 [19], 1918, he took Poltava; on January 26, after a five-day bombardment, Soviet forces under his overall command took Kiev. In his order Muravyov called for "the merciless destruction of all officers, cadets, haidamaks, monarchists, and all enemies of the revolution," which was accompanied by mass reprisals in the city.[3]

From June 13, 1918, he was commander-in-chief of the forces of the Eastern Front. After the Left SR uprising in Moscow, on July 10, 1918, he launched an armed uprising in Simbirsk. He was killed while resisting arrest with force of arms.[1]

The Nizhny Novgorod connection

Muravyov was born in the village of Burdukovo in Varnavinsky Uyezd, Kostroma Governorate — in an area that, in the Soviet era, became part of Vetluzhsky District of Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod) Region.[1][2]

Sources

  1. dic.academic.ru — Muravyov Mikhail Artemyevich — what is it? Who was Muravyov Mikhail Artemyevich?
  2. w.histrf.ru — MURAVYOV, MIKHAIL ARTEMYEVICH — Read articles on the history of Russia for schoolchildren and students
  3. history.ru — MURAVYOV, MIKHAIL ARTEMYEVICH — Read articles on the history of Russia for schoolchildren and students
  4. eduspb.ru — EDUSPB ENC: Muravyov Mikhail Artemyevich 13(25).9.1880, village