After Battle of Dobrynichy, most noblemen and mercenaries with whom False Dmitry I began his campaign left him, but under his banner, peasants and Cossacks flocked massively, dissatisfied with the rule of Godunov and who supposedly believed False Dmitry to be "the lawful sovereign".

[1] A small garrison of Kromy was reinforced by five hundred Cossacks led by the ataman Andrei Korela, who retreated here after the battle of Dobrynichi.

Nevertheless, the losses on both sides were high and the ataman Korela demanded reinforcements from False Dmitry I in Putivl, threatening to surrender the city.

Godunov's order not to leave the army caused indignation among the nobles, and many in spite of the ban went home.

On May 7, most of the government army, following the agitation of the hero of the Novgorod-Seversk siege, Peter Basmanov (who took part in the conspiracy against the Godunovs), took the side of False Dmitry.