The Russian soldiers who fought for France, then revolted against their own officers

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1916, the Russian Empire sent troops to the Western Front to support France. But as revolution gripped their homeland, these soldiers transformed from frontline allies into revolutionary mutineers, sparking a standoff that required French artillery to resolve.

French statesman Paul Doumer proposed the Russian Expeditionary Force (REF) in 1915, offering French ammunition in return for 300,000 soldiers. Despite reservations from General Mikhail Alekseyev and the Russian High Command, Tsar Nicholas II authorised a reduced contingent. The first brigade, comprised of 8,942 men—largely conscripted factory workers from Moscow and rural troops from Samara—arrived in Marseille on April 16, 1916, under General Nikolai Aleksandrovich Lokhvitsky.

The force's trajectory was dictated by the chaos of the Russian Revolution. Initially, the 1st Brigade fought in the Nivelle Offensive and took Courcy in April 1917. However, as news of the February Revolution reached the troops, morale collapsed. By 1917, soldiers at the La Courtine camp rejected their officers, forming committees and demanding to be sent home. This led to a tense military standoff in September 1917, where French and reliable Russian troops surrounded the rebel camp. After the mutineers refused to surrender, French artillery was used to break the resistance, resulting in 9 Russian deaths and 49 wounded.

Despite the mutiny, a loyal remnant continued to serve. Some soldiers joined the Honorary Russian Legion, which maintained a presence in the West until the Armistice on November 11, 1918. This unit saw heavy combat, including the Second Battle of the Marne, and suffered losses of nearly 85% of its numbers. While some veterans returned to a revolutionary Russia—including the future Soviet Minister of Defence, Rodion Malinovsky—others integrated into French society, leaving behind a complex legacy of combat, revolution, and displacement.

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