July 1919 Yaponchik's forces were engaged in a fight against the army of the Ukrainian People's Republic that were often exclusively associated with Symon Petliura, the Ukrainian national leader who led Ukraine's struggle for independence following the Russian Revolution of 1917. Yaponchik's men rendezvoused with the Ukrainians near the town of Birzula (today's Kotovsk), where they successfully managed to take the town of Vapnyarka in Podolie (near Vinnytsia, dozens of miles away), securing several military prisoners and trophies. However, after a counter-attack, the regiment fled and many soldiers deserted. What happened afterward is covered in mystery. There are some suggestions that the regiment mutinied, and, after securing a couple of trains, tried to return to Odesa. Another version of the story tells that the higher command tried to isolate Yaponchik from the rest of his troops and ordered him to head towards Kyiv. Yaponchik, however (with a company-size security) did not go to Kyiv, but rather turned towards Odesa. He was ambushed by the Cheka about a mile away from the town of Voznesensk and was killed in a clay quarry during the arrest by uyezd military commissar Nikifor Ursulov on 29 July 1919 at eight o'clock in the morning. His body was covered by sand. Later by the order #296 of the 12th Army Nikifor Ursulov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Popular culture The Yaponchik's cult of personality was so strong in Odesa that it was used as a prototype by Isaac Babel as Benya Krik in his "Odesa Tales". Traces of his personality can also be found in the artistic works of Alexander Rozenbaum. A Ukrainian biographic television series based on Yaponchik's life, The Life and Adventures of Mishka Yaponchik (Жизнь и приключения Мишки Япончика), also titled internationally as Once Upon a Time in Odesa, was released in 2011. References External links 1891 births 1919 deaths Jewish socialists Odesa Jews Military personnel from Odesa People from Odessky Uyezd People of the Russian Civil War Soviet Army officers Ukrainian gangsters