The Battle of Shepeleviche (Szepielewicze) or Battle of Ciecierzyn on 24 August 1654 was one of the first battles of the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)

Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)

The Russo-Polish War of 1654–1667, also called Thirteen Years' War, First Northern War, War for Ukraine was the last major conflict between Tsardom of Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Between 1655 and 1660, the Second Northern War was also fought in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,...

; it ended with a Russian victory.

Battle

A small Polish-Lithuanian

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...

 force of about 5,000 under Great Lithuanian Hetman Janusz Radziwiłł have stopped Russian force under knyaz

Knyaz

Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....

 Yakov Cherkassky at Shklow

Battle of Shklow (1654)

The Battle of Szkłów or battle of Shkloŭ or battle of Shklov on 12 August 1654 was one of the first battles of the Russo-Polish War ; it ended with a Polish victory...

 and camped at Hołowczyn. He learned that a Russian force under knyaz

Knyaz

Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....

 Aleksey Trubetskoy

Aleksey Trubetskoy

Aleksey Nikitich Trubetskoy was the last Prince of Trubetsk 1634–1645, and 17 March 1660 – June 1672, the godfather of Peter I of Russia.Under Tsar Michael's rule Aleksey...

 crossed Drut River

Drut River

Drut is a river in Belarus, a right tributary of Dnieper. It originates in the Orsha Upland in the Belarusian Ridge and flows through Vitebsk,Mogilev and Homiel provinces of Belarus.Cities of Tolochin and Rogachev are located by Drut....

 near Ciecierzyn

Ciecierzyn

Ciecierzyn may refer to the following places:*Ciecierzyn, Lublin Voivodeship *Ciecierzyn, Lubusz Voivodeship *Ciecierzyn, Opole Voivodeship...

 on 23 August. Radziwiłl was joined by the Field Lithuanian Hetman Wincenty Korwin Gosiewski

Wincenty Korwin Gosiewski

Wincenty Korwin Gosiewski was a Polish-Lithuanian politician and military commander, a notable member of the szlachta.-Life:...

 with 3,000 strong forces, increasing the Polish-Lithuanian army to about 6.000-8,000.

Radziwiłł and Gosiewski then tried to stop a numerically superior Russia

Tsardom of Russia

The Tsardom of Russia was the name of the centralized Russian state from Ivan IV's assumption of the title of Tsar in 1547 till Peter the Great's foundation of the Russian Empire in 1721.From 1550 to 1700, Russia grew 35,000 km2 a year...

n force (of 15,000-80,000 near Shepelevichy (Szepielewicze). Trubetskoy forces also included Cherkassky's. He took positions near Bialynichy

Bialynichy

Bialynichy is an urban type settlement and administrative center of Bialynichy Raion of Mahilyow Voblast.Among other things, the town is known for the icon Our Lady of Bialynichy, worshiped by both Eastern Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic Christians of Belarus....

 (Białynicze). This time the even larger Russian army managed to outflank him, with Russian infantry holding Shepelevichy and cavalry attacking from the rear. Radziwiłł ordered a retreat, on the 24 (or 25) August the retreating Polish army was defeated and its artillery was captured by the Russians.

Aftermath

Radziwiłł with a remainder of his forces retreated to Minsk

Minsk

- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...

. His defeat meant that Russians faced no opposition in Lithuania, and they were able to take Polotsk, Vitebsk

Vitebsk

Vitebsk, also known as Viciebsk or Vitsyebsk , is a city in Belarus, near the border with Russia. The capital of the Vitebsk Oblast, in 2004 it had 342,381 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth largest city...

 and Mogilev

Mogilev

Mogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...

, advancing to Berezina River

Berezina River

The Berezina is a river in Belarus and a tributary of the Dnieper River.The Berezina Preserve by the river is in the UNESCO list of Biosphere Preserves.-Historical significance:...

. Russian forces were able to advance and take Smolensk

Smolensk

Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...

 (see Siege of Smolensk (1654)

Siege of Smolensk (1654)

The Siege of Smolensk was one of the first great events of the Russo-Polish War . Smolensk , which had been under the rule of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during 1404-1514 and since 1611, was besieged by a Russian army in June 1654...

) as well as Orsha

Orsha

Orsha is a city in Belarus in Vitebsk voblast on the fork of the Dnieper and Arshytsa rivers.-Facts:*Location: *Population: 125,000 *Phone code: +375 216*Postal codes: 211030, 211381–211394, 211396–211398-History:...

which they held till 1661.