The Russian operation had just begun; the Austro-Hungarian XI Corps was stationed on the Zbruch River and one Austro-Hungarian cavalry division, supported by infantry and artillery, decided to cover the Russians by breaking through the town where there was the 2nd consolidated Cossack division and several companies with machine guns. The Russians perfectly lined up the infantry positions, placing them in a thick chain before the main attack, while machine guns were placed on high ground so that the position of the Austro-Hungarian cavalry was completely shot through. The Austro-Hungarians, believing that numerical superiority guaranteed victory, rushed into battle without reconnaissance, machine-gun and artillery fire mowed down many Austro-Hungarians, and the matter ended with the Cossacks hitting the right flank where they chopped down the enemy's cavalry. The battle ended in a rout that convinced the Russian units that they were superior to the enemy in everything. The Austro-Hungarian 1st Army under
Viktor Dankl moved in the north towards
Lublin. Dankl struck and drove back the Russian 4th Army, under Baron Zaltsa, in what would be known as the
Battle of Kraśnik. Dankl's army was able to capture 6,000 prisoners. To the right of Dankl the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army, aiming at
Cholm, drove back the Russian 5th Army under
Pavel Plehve in the
Battle of Komarów, capturing 20,000 prisoners and inflicting heavy casualties. However, a planned Austro-Hungarian enveloping movement around the Russian army failed. A counter battle between Russian and Austro-Hungarian troops, the fighting went on with varying success, but as a result, the Austro-Hungarians were forced to retreat, which later became an important part for the victory on Gnila Lipa. As the Russians were being driven back along the northern front, the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army and Army Group Kovess made a simultaneous advance against Ivanov's left wing. Along the southern front, Ivanov had the
Russian 3rd Army under
Nikolai Ruzsky and the
Russian 8th Army under
Aleksei Brusilov. Brusilov and Ruzsky routed the Austro-Hungarians so thoroughly that even though poor roads necessitated that the Russians halt for two days, the Austro-Hungarians could not regroup to halt the Russian drive. This attack became known as the
Battle of Gnila Lipa. The Russian army under the command of Brusilov was engaged in a defensive operation on the left flank of the Russians. The battle took place with the double superiority of the Austro-Hungarians in manpower and artillery, and ended with a complete victory of the Russians and the latter's transition to a counteroffensive. As Brusilov notes in his memoirs, "our losses were great, but much less than the huge losses of the Austrians". With the entire 3rd Army and Kovess Group in full retreat, Conrad pulled forces away from the northern front which he believed had been sufficiently defeated. In fact, the Russians north of Lemberg were still a potential threat. Ivanov ordered Plehve's 5th Army to attack and drove the Austro-Hungarians back as they began to shift forces to the south in an engagement known as the
Battle of Rava Ruska. The Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army was quickly recalled from
Serbia, but it was too late and the entire Austro-Hungarian front collapsed in Galicia, and the Russians took control of Lemberg. ) In early November, the Russians set a goal to reach the approaches of the Carpathian mountains, for this the Częstochowa operation began. The Russian offensive began with the Battle of Bexida, the army of the General Borevich began to retreat hastily under the Russian onslaught. Later, the Russians captured Dukla and strategically important Lupovsky Pass. == Results ==