| Polonsky conspiracy | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Bolshevik–Makhnovist conflict | |
| Type | Conspiracy |
| Location | |
| Planned | October–November 1919 |
| Planned by | Communist Party of Ukraine |
| Commanded by | Yevgeny Polonsky |
| Target | Nestor Makhno and other insurgent commanders |
| Date | 4–5 December 1919 |
| Executed by | Pro-Bolshevik units within the Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Ukraine |
| Outcome | Failure |
| Casualties | 5 conspirators executed |
The Polonsky conspiracy, also known as the Polonsky plot or Polonsky affair, was an attempt by Ukrainian Bolsheviks to overthrow the Makhnovshchina during the autumn of 1919.
Prepared by the revolutionary committees of Oleksandrivsk and Katerynoslav, the plan was to assassinate Nestor Makhno and other members of the insurgent high command, following which pro-Bolshevik units of the insurgent army would seize power in the region. However, the plot was uncovered and suppressed by the Kontrrazvedka, the Makhnovist counterintelligence division. Yevgeny Polonsky and other members of the conspiracy were arrested and sentenced to execution by firing squad.
The planned coup and the fallout that resulted from its suppression exacerbated the worsening relations between the Makhnovists and Bolsheviks, which culminated in the outbreak of an all-out conflict between them in January 1920.