Battle of Kowel The Battle of Kowel ( also known as the Battle of Kovel or the Battle of Kovel - Stanislav ) took place during World War I , from July 24 to August 8 , 1916 . It began with an Austrian counter - attack by Alexander von Linsingen south of Kowel , a city located in the Volyn Oblast ( province ) , in north - western Ukraine . Linsingen intended to halt the Russian offensive under the command of General Aleksei Alekseevich Brusilov . Background . The Brusilov offensive began on June 4 , 1916 , it was the greatest Russian feat of arms during World War I , and among the most lethal battles in world history . It was a major offensive against the armies of the Central Powers on the Eastern Front . Mounting pressure from the western Allies caused the Russians to hurry their preparations . Brusilov amassed four armies totalling 40 infantry divisions and 15 cavalry divisions . He faced 39 Austrian infantry divisions and 10 cavalry divisions formed in a row of three defensive lines , although later German reinforcements were brought up . The breakthrough came when , on June 4 , the Russians opened the offensive with a massive , accurate , but brief artillery barrage against the Austro - Hungarian lines . On June 8 , Russian forces of the South - western Front took Lutsk . By now the Austrians were in full retreat and the Russians had taken over 200 , 000 prisoners , however Brusilov ' s forces were becoming overextended . In a meeting held on the same day Lutsk fell , German Chief of Staff Erich von Falkenhayn persuaded Austrian Field Marshal Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf to redeploy troops from the Italian Front to counter the Russians in Galicia . General Paul von Hindenburg was again able to capitalize on good railroads to bring German reinforcements east . At last , on June 18 , a weak and poorly prepared offensive commenced under Alexei Evert , and on July 24 Alexander von Linsingen commenced his own counter - attack . Brusilov and Russian Tsar Nicholas II ordered other Russian commanders to commence their own attacks , however high casualties and internal rivalry meant that this did not occur . The battle . The Tsar had provided large amounts of artillery and shells for Brusilov ' s army , however this had repercussions for the Russians as Brusilov reverted to the tactic of extensive barrages followed by waves of advancing soldiers , a tactic that had proved unsuccessful since 1915 with German commanders observing the new similarities between Kowel and the Western Front . The German commander , Linsingen , sought to check the Russian army under the command of General Brusilov . The Russian force of 29 Infantry and 12 Cavalry divisions faced only 12 Austrian divisions , however the ineffective barrage and the tactic of using ' waves ' of attacking soldiers resulting in significant Russian casualties and the stalling of the Brusilov offensive . Consequences . The 500 , 000 Russian casualties during the offensive , culminating in the battle of Kowel " finished Russia as an active participant in the war " with its consumption of men and resources . The battle also had a far reaching impact on Austria , as it illustrated the country ' s reliance on Germany as well as deprived the nation of large numbers of fighting men . Romania , relying on a Russian success during the conflict , was overrun by Germany and Bulgaria shortly after Russia ' s defeat . With the armed forces of both Germany and Austria - Hungary losing confidence in their monarchs as a result of the engagement , and with its effective removal of Russia from the war , the battle of Kowel remains one of the most influential of the war .