Battle of Erzincan

Battle of Erzinjan Эрзинджанское сражение
Date 2–25 July 1916 Location Erzincan, Ottoman Empire Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Nikolai Yudenich Sebastatsi Murad	Vehip Pasha
Strength
Russian Caucasus Army	Third Army
Casualties and losses
?	17,000 killed 17,000 captured

The Battle of Erzincan (Russian: Эрзинджанское сражение, Turkish language: Erzincan Muharebesi) was a Russian victory over the Ottoman Empire during the First World War.

In February 1916, Nikolai Yudenich had taken the cities of Erzurum and Trabzon. Trabzon had provided the Russians with a port to receive reinforcements in the Caucasus. Enver Pasha ordered the Third Army, now under Vehip Pasha, to retake Trabzon. Vehip's attack failed and General Yudenich counterattacked on July 2. The Russian attack hit the Turkish communications center of Erzincan forcing Vehip's troops to retreat as well as losing many POWs. As a result the Third Army was rendered ineffective for the rest of the year.

References

• Tucker, Spencer, The Great War: 1914-18 (1998)
• Erzurum-Erzincan