Urbanovich worked as a machinist in Riga and was conscripted into the railway troops of the Imperial Russian Army during World War I, but was discharged after being gassed.

After treatment in a hospital Urbanovich was discharged and placed at the disposal of the head of the steam locomotive depot of the Riga-Oryol Railway in Oryol.

[1] During the Russian Civil War, in May 1918, Urbanovich joined the Red Army and was assigned to the 21st Roslavl Railway Defense Regiment.

After fighting against the Armed Forces of South Russia and Polish troops at Chernigov, Kiev, Berdichev, and Mozyr, Urbanovich became temporary chief of the landing detachment of Armored Train No.

[1] After his graduation from the academy, Urbanovich became an instructor and chief of the main faculty of the Higher Border School of the OGPU in July 1928.

Urbanovich became deputy chief of the combat training department of the organizational headquarters of the Main Directorate of NKVD Border Troops in April.

[1][2] After the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Urbanovich was appointed commander of the 257th Rifle Division, then forming from NKVD Troops at Tula, in late June.

The division was surrounded near Lake Ilmen and after it broke out Urbanovich was relieved of command in the second half of September for "unsuccessful actions."

Under these conditions, Urbanovich managed to withdrawal the division from the encirclement, showing "firmness in command" and "personal courage", according to evaluation by superiors.

As part of the latter, during a November local offensive in a secondary direction, Urbanovich commanded an operational group that included the division and the 100th Rifle Brigade.

He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on 8 April 1943 for the division's capture of Olenino during the Rzhev–Vyazma Offensive in late February and early March of that year.

During this period, the corps participated in the capture of Oryol, Kostyukovichi, Rogachev, Bobruysk, Novogrudok, Belostok, Ostrolenka, Willenberg, and Heiligenbeil.

It went on to fight in the Berlin Offensive in April 1945, entering the battle after the breakthrough of the German defensive line and participating in the reduction of the Halbe pocket.

Upon his return to the Soviet Union in July 1957, Urbanovich was seconded to the General Staff for research work, and transferred to the reserve on 3 October 1960.