german russian serbian armed force composed anti communist russian territory military commander serbia world war commanded lieutenant general served primarily guard force autumn spring incorporated december later clashed yugoslav partisans late fought belgrade offensive later withdrawing bosnia germans withdrew balkans killed april replaced colonel subsequently managed evade communists surrendering british instead men eventually set free allowed west background formation balkans world war approximately white russian fled aftermath russian revolution april axis forces invaded poorly equipped poorly trained quickly defeated country serbia reduced borders placed government german military occupation pre war politician known pro axis selected germans lead territory military commander serbia formed officers defeated communists russian civil war years earlier course uprising serbia summer communist backed yugoslav partisans killed approximately russian injured acts vengeance response local russians began organize self defense units time estimated russian men borders yugoslavia majority lived serbia founded belgrade general september took shape supervision occupying german authorities cooperation regime group independent force reporting economic affairs composed white russians sided germans opposition communism believed hope non communist russia lay german victory world war russian bulgaria croatia hungary subsequently came belgrade join unit illness replaced month chief staff lieutenant general said warm friendly relations milan initially designated independent russian corps renamed russian defense corps october envisaged germans strong unit organized regiments late members recruitment carried white russian german service head german serbia corps initially consisted single regiment organized battalions major general commanded 1st battalion colonel second colonel colonel fourth respectively second regiment set october commanded colonel operations early actions aim fight communist forces soviet_union engaged combat exclusively fight yugoslav partisans areas occupied yugoslavia composed cavalry regiment infantry regiments reinforced younger soviet prisoners war armed germans weapons captured command language russian autumn spring members corps responsible primarily protecting weapons factories mines roads railroads occupied serbia accordance priorities established time corps referred russian factory protection group german initially anti partisan operations guard mines later november began actively collaborating time corps composed regiments men russian attempt expand recruiting soviet prisoners proved unsuccessful corps operated unified fighting force regiments largest operational units later assigned act german bulgarian occupying forces december corps defended yugoslav partisans corps grew numbers following influx volunteers bulgaria croatia romania greece time maintained good relations administration guarding facilities members corps largely assigned manning brick protecting railway valley mines serbian borders danube rivers deployed serbian factions serbian closely allied corps closely period members plundered serbian villages initially deployed towns hand operated towns regiments operationally established january placed command colonel deployed operationally 1st bulgarian corps established april commander deployed area corps divided brigades placed command headquarters established town november disbanded assigned rest manpower assigned december incorporated members required swear oath german leader adolf_hitler december started transformed arrival led january fully composed march commander fought april participated large operation engaged heavy combat communist forces july regiment stationed participating defence bridge partisans time regiment allowed passage wounded croatian soldiers civilians healthy soldiers refugees sustaining casualties killed seventeen wounded clashed partisans village july clashed partisans town established december based regimental headquarters moved april october retreat surrender despite numerous clashes corps focused increasingly fighting partisans penetrating serbia bosnia january combat partisans resulted deaths 1st regiment january formed strong partisan force advancing march april prepared defences areas expecting 16th 17th attempt crossing fought partisans village sustaining casualties killed wounded summer corps agreement germans parties agreed fight partisans serbia july fought regimental headquarters moved battalion headquarters established elements 3rd 5th regiments fought partisans august near village partisans attacked positions august september corps reached peak members skirmishes occurred partisans areas month september fought partisans trying deny crossing september elements moved september september fought group partisans south major combat partisans erupted september causing regiment fall losses killed wounded combat continued daily september suffering casualties day october headquarters evacuated soviet armour approached town parts regiment moved belgrade force came contact soviet troops armour area south belgrade sustaining heavy casualties october renamed serbia elements 2nd regiment arrived october moved october october october october parts regiment moved october october october october october fought advancing soviet troops partisans defended road october abandoned moved october ordered hold ground fought area october november faced 2nd forced abandon city captured soldiers turned soviets november moved railway elements deployed december north december fought partisans near village killing arrived december elements subsequently moved december fighting partisans area december time battalion guarded north order allow german forces stationed greece withdraw town january elements corps participated german capture operation withdrew april killed passing colonel took commander surrendered british forces near members corps allowed west hostilities ceased time surrender corps consisted men suffered members killed wounded missing overall men served ranks course war order battle existence composed 1st regiment infantry regiments iii corps divided brigades disbanded november established december created january commanders commanders existence general september lieutenant general october april colonel april uniform members corps wore uniform september november uniform worn alongside special rank insignia collar uniforms insignia adopted december old uniforms continued worn time
Russian Corps