Russian soldiers in a gas attack drill, 1916. On July 3, 1916, the Russians launched the Baranovichi Offensive on the Eastern Front.
Eastern Front, July 3, 1916 Russian soldiers in a gas attack drill, 1916. On July 3, 1916, the Russians launched the Baranovichi Offensive on the Eastern Front. To support their allies in Verdun and the Somme, in April 1916 the Russians began planning a major offensive in Galicia against the Austro-Hungarians; the Brusilov offensive. To support this operation and prevent Austro-Hungarian and German troops from being transferred to the Galicia region, the Russians planned another offensive further north in the Baranovichi area in present-day Belarus. This support operation was to be carried out by the 4th Russian Army under the command of General Ragoza, who was under the command of general Evert. However, from the outset, General Evert was against this operation, favoring a defensive approach. On June 4, 1916, General Brusilov launched his offensive in Galicia and broke the Austro-Hungarian lines, capturing the city of Lutsk on June 8. General Evert was supposed to launch the offensive...