A successful offensive operation of Aleksander Kolchak’s Russian Army to occupy Kungur and Perm in November – December 1918 and a partially successful counter-offensive of the Red Army in January 1919.

At the end of November 1918, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, Admiral Aleksander Kolchak approved the directive issued by General Vasily Boldyrev on the offensive of the Yekaterinburg group of the Siberian Army to capture Perm, reach the Kama River for a subsequent flank attack on the enemy that was advancing on Ufa. The Soviet command also planned to go on the defensive in the Eastern front on November 30, 1918: The 3rd Army (commander Mikhail Lashevich) was to attack Yekaterinburg, and the 2nd Army (commander Vasily Shorin) was to attack Krasnoufimsk.

On November 29, anticipating the advance of the Reds by a day, the Yekaterinburg group of the Siberian Army (the 1st Central Siberian Army Corps of Major General Anatoly Pepeliaev and the 2nd Czech Infantry Division), went on an offensive. Having inflicted a heavy defeat on the 3rd Army of the Red Army, the White troops broke through the front and launched a swift attack on Kungur and Perm. At the same time, the 2nd Army of the Red Army launched an offensive against the Siberian Army’s Prikamye Group in the general direction towards Krasnoufimsk. However, this offensive was slow and failed to draw off significant enemy forces from the Perm direction. Pepelyaev took Kungur on December 21; and on the night of December 24–25, the Siberian army units entered Perm. On December 24, 1918, by order of Aleksander Kolchak, a new Siberian Army was formed from the Yekaterinburg and Prikamye military groups, General Radola Gajda was appointed its temporary commander.

The Siberian Army, crossing the Kama river on the move, captured an extensive bridgehead on its right bank. However, the successful offensive of the Whites on Vyatka was aggravated due to the Volga group’s situation on the front. Retreating under the onslaught of the Red Army’s 5th Army, on December 31, it left Ufa, which posed a threat to the left flank and rear of the Siberian Army. On January 6, 1919, Kolchak issued a directive, which made the Siberian Army switch to defense, while part of its forces was to be transferred to the Ufa region.

In mid-January 1919, the command of the Red Army’s Eastern Front launched a counter-offensive to recapture Perm and Kungur. However, by January 28, the Red Army had advanced by several dozens of kilometers, failed to break through the front of the Siberian Army, and went over to the defense.

Perm operation turned a remarkable victory for the Whites: the 3rd Army of the Red Army was almost defeated. The Whites took the large ammunition and food stocks, Perm artillery plants in Motovilikha (district of Perm). The command of the Reds had to undertake urgent measures to stabilize the front line and cancel the previously planned transfer of the 1st Army from Eastern to Southern front.