In the effect of a pincer maneuver some 160 kilometres behind the front line, the Polish Army was able to seize the strategically important town of Korosten.

The town, a major railway hub and a Red Army supply depot, was captured with negligible Polish losses.

To counter the threat of a large scale offensive by the Red Army, the Polish HQ prepared a preemptive strike in the south towards Kiev.

This was to create a large operational space in the southern section of the front and allow the Poles to move parts of their forces northwards, to Belarus, while leaving the southern flank secured by Petlura's forces nominally of the defunct Ukrainian People's Republic, allied to Poland at that time.

Initially there was no contact with the enemy as the route lead through dense forests and the cavalry advanced in a fast pace, with the artillery much to the rear.

In the village of Tartak Cudnowski a company of Soviet engineers was surprised during construction work and surrendered almost without a shot fired.

From there a patrol of 14th Regiment with an artillery platoon moved to secure the southern flank of forces along the Teterev river and a ford in the village of Nova Rudnya (now in Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine).

Since the enemy was expected to occupy the nearby village of Troyanivka (now Khmelnytskyi Oblast), the units were ordered to remain silent.

The main force consisting of the remainder of the 5th and 4th Brigades was to follow, while the rear guard was to be formed by the 9th Uhlan Regiment shielding the tabor of the division.

In addition, as the element of surprise lost much of its meaning, the Polish command dispatched numerous patrols to find the enemy and link up with the 15th Infantry Division slowly following the spearhead.

After crossing the Gniłopłat river, the spearhead reached a relatively good road which allowed the Polish forces to advance quickly.

Polish carts were withdrawn beyond range of Russian artillery and the crew of the train left it to observe the effects of their fire.

General Romer ordered a platoon of the 1st Uhlan Regiment to leave the main route and follow the tracks leading towards Zhytomyr.

By 1 PM the front guard reached the village of Białopole, where the division headquarter's was to prepare an assault on the nearby town of Koziatyn.

The cavalry charge was to be started before dusk, in a loose formation intended to minimize losses from enemy machine gun and artillery fire.

However, the commander of the 4th Brigade, Maj. Tadeusz Sulimirski, ignored Gen. Romer's orders and had his men dismount and prepare an infantry assault across more than a kilometre of open terrain.

Romer managed to reach the 4th Brigade and countermand Sulimirski, but precious time was lost and the soldiers were ready only by 8.30 PM.

The 2nd Light Cavalry Regiment dismounted and assaulted the passenger railway station, which was heavily defended by infantry and an armoured train.

Soon the 2nd Light and 1st Uhlan Regiment joined the 16th and the Polish front-line was established along a 400 metre long track from Koziatyn to Kiev.

In the meantime the roundhouse was finally secured and the 1st Regiment seized the southern part of the station, thus pushing elements of enemy forces into the forest.

This ended the fight for the cargo station as the tiny groups of enemy soldiers were surrounded and in large part surrendered quickly.

Following a short shrapnel barrage placed on the courtyard, the Poles managed to reach the building and pound it with hand grenades.

As close proximity prevented either side from deploying artillery, the train was finally forced to retreat by intensive Polish machine gun fire.

By capturing Koziatyn, the Polish forces seized one of the most important railway hubs in the area and the supply depot of the entire army.