Five armies of some 3.000 -3.500 men were created. In fact, these armies were only brigades with limited combat capabilities. The 4th Army was created near the city of Poltava under command of Vassili Kikvidze. The army counted 3,000 infantry, 200 cavalry, 1 armored train and 4 guns. The 4th Army, now under command of Yuriy Sablin, tried in vain to defend Kharkiv against the advancing German Army. After its defeat, one part joined the Voronezh Detachment and the other part was added to the 1st Don Army operating in Ukraine in the area of the Donets river.
