In April 1920 the Kiev expedition began.

The Poles' operational plan foresaw that in the first stage the two Bolshevik forces would be cut in two, and the fast occupation of Zhytomyr and Koziatyn. In this way it was possible to cut off the retreat on the Dnieper branches of the Red Army standing in the north. The Bolshevik troops in the south of the Szeptitowka-Koziatyn railway line were to be pushed further south. In the area of the Zwiahl, the Rydz-Smigly Group was composed of 1st Legion Inf. Div, 7th Inf.Div., 3th Rifle Brigade, seven heavy artillery batteries.

From the starting area to Zhitomir it was 80 km, so in order to control the city was established Motorized Group under the command of Col. Dab-Biernacki. The group consisted of units of the 1st Legion Infantry Regiment, the Sappers Company and the cavalry sub-unit. The group had forty trucks. Daimler's four-wheel-drive vehicles were used to tow French 75 mm cannons. Group support was a platoon of armored cars.

