Mykhaylo Omelianovych-Pavlenko was born in Tbilisi (present-day Georgia). His father, Volodymyr, was an officer in the Imperial Russian Army.[1] His mother was of a Georgian aristocratic family.[1] Omelianovych-Pavlenko attended the military academy in Petersburg, graduating in 1900.[2] He had a younger brother Ivan who later was fighting along with him.[citation needed]
During World War I, Pavlenko served as the commander of many army units, including a Ukrainian brigade in Yekaterinoslav.[3]
In the spring of 1917, Omelianovych-Pavlenko became an active supporter of the Ukrainian independence movement, and initiated the creation of the Odessa battalion.[2] He also initiated Ukrainian military academies in Zhytomyr and Kamianets-Podilskyi.[2]
On 10 December 1918, Pavlenko assumed command of the Ukrainian Halitska Army, which he led until June 1919.[3]
After the union of the UHA and the army of the Ukrainian People's Republic, Pavlenko assumed command of the force. He served as a special attache to Symon Petlura. Omelianovych-Pavlenko commanded the army of the UNR during the First Winter Campaign (1920).[3]
Inter-war years
Pavlenko moved to Prague, where he headed the Alliance of Ukrainian Veterans' Organizations.[3]
Pavlenko authored four books: The Ukrainian-Polish War of 1918–19, (published in 1929), The Winter Campaign, (published in 1934), and two books of memoirs (published in 1930 and 1935).[3]
Russian Empire (1904–1917)
West Ukrainian People's Republic (1918–1919)
Nazi Germany (1943–1945)
