Vsevolod Petriv (, January 12, 1883 – July 10, 1948) was a colonel of the Imperial Russian Army, General and Head of the Staff of the Ukrainian People's Army (or Ukrainian National Army), publicist, historian, and teacher. He is known as a military leader during the Ukrainian–Soviet War. He is also known for recording the military history of the Ukrainian armed forces.

Biography

Early years

Vsevolod Petriv was born in Kyiv on January 12, 1883, into a military family. His father Mykola Verner-Petriv, was a Swede and a high-ranking officer in the Imperial Russian Army. He was of Scandinavian heritage, whose family had participated in the Great Northern War and had fallen prisoner to Peter the Great. Because of his military acumen, he was granted the surname Petriv, as well as a military position by Peter the Great. His mother was Norwegian - Alexandra Strollman. She was born in the village of Burty, Chernigov Governorate.

Education

As a son of a high-ranking military officer, Vsevolod attended only the best schools. He attended the military academy in Kyiv, graduating in 1900. He attended officer training in Saint Petersburg, graduating in 1902, and the Nikolayev Officer School, graduating in 1910.

Military service in World War I

Petriv entered the war as a member of the Russian Imperial Army at the 42nd Infantry Division, later joined the 7th Turkestani Rifle Division and rose in the ranks to colonel and head of staff. Was wounded during Siege of Przemyśl. Awarded by Order of St. George. In late 1917 he pledged allegiance to the Ukrainian People's Republic.

Ukrainian–Soviet War

In 1917 headed Kost Hordiyenko Regiment. At the times of the Hetmanate he was arrested but soon released. With the fall of the Directorate in November 1920 he went abroad to Poland were in 1921 he was assigned to the post of the Head of the Staff of the Ukrainian National Republic Army.

The Inter-war Years

In 1923 he moved to Czechoslovakia. From 1923 to 1938, Petriv was giving lectures at the Drahomanov Institute in Prague. He was a very prolific writer, authoring no less than nine in-depth books about Ukrainian military history. later to Czechoslovakia.

World War II

In April 1939 he was arrested and transferred to Brno where he worked at the local factory. In April 1945 he was transferred by the Germans to Bavaria.

After WWII

He was placed at the DP camp by the U.S. military administration where he died on July 10, 1948. In December 2022 the (Mikhail) Kirponos street in Kyiv, Ukraine was renamed to Vsevolod Petriv street.