Peter Gavrilenko

Born into a peasant family, he joined the ranks of the anarchists during the 1905 Russian Revolution. During the Ukrainian War of Independence, he was an active participant in the Makhnovist movement. In early November 1919, he was elected assistant commander of the second group of infantry units of the 2nd and 3rd Corps, created to oust the troops of the Armed Forces of Yugoslavia (AFYUR) from the Huliaipole area. Commanding the 3rd Yekaterinoslav Corps, he played a significant role in the defeat of the AFYUR. In January 1920, he was temporarily acting chief of staff of the Insurgent Army, and was arrested by the Soviet authorities, who imprisoned him in Kharkov.[1]

After the conclusion of an agreement on the joint struggle of the Black and Red armies against Wrangel's White Army, Gavrilenko was released and sent to the front, as chief of the field headquarters of the Insurgent Army, namely its "Crimean group", which Nestor Makhno sent to the Southern Front to help the Red Army. The Makhnovist formation made a significant contribution to the defeat of Wrangel's army. Immediately after the victory, the organs of Soviet power began to liquidate the "Makhnovshchina", and the first blow was struck at the Crimean group: on the night of November 24, 1920, its command, including Gavrilenko, was arrested and shot in Melitopol.[1]