[1] False Dmitry I crossed the border of the Tsardom of Russia in winter of 1604 commanding a mercenary army of Polish-Lithuanian noblemen.

Many residents of southern Russian lands flocked to his banner, and the fortified cities of Chernigov and Putyvl accepted him as their "rightful sovereign".

[2] Novgorod Seversky was the only city that resisted False Dmitry's troops, defended by Voivode Peter Basmanov and Nikita Trubetskoi with 1,500 men and several heavy cannon.

To help Basmanov, Tsar Boris Godunov sent some 25.000 servicemen (probably 40.000 including armed serfs) under Prince Fyodor Mstislavsky.

Polish Hussars, led personally by the impostor, routed the right wing of the Russian army, put the center in a disarray, and wounded Prince Mstislavsky himself.