Nikolai Ruzsky

Nikolai Vladimirovich Ruzsky (Russian: Никола́й Влади́мирович Ру́зский) (March 18 [O.S. March 6] 1854 – October 18, 1918), was a Russian general of World War I.

Career

His military career prior to the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 took him to both the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) and the Russo-Japanese War, where he was Chief of Staff to the Second Manchurian Army. In between he served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Kiev Military District (1896- 1902). He was influenced by General Mikhail Ivanovich Dragomirov.

In August 1914 he was in command of the Third Army, and was soon involved in the Battle of Galicia. He was given command over the Northwest Front in September 1914. His greatest achievement during the war was his part in the defence of Lodz in November 1914. He was given command of Sixth Army in March 1915 and of the Northern Front in the winter of 1916, but he was replaced by Alexei Kuropatkin in February 1916 because of his excessive caution and indecision. He later was reinstated by the Tsar in July.

Following the February Revolution of 1917 he resigned his command and went south to the Caucasus, where he joined other Tsarist generals. Captured by the Bolsheviks on September 11, 1918, in Essentuki, he was executed along with the last remaining loyal officers and generals in Pyatigorsk.