The siege has broken by October 4.…

The siege has broken by October 4.

Shein's army retreats to its main camp, which is in turn surrounded by Commonwealth forces in mid-October.

The besieged Russians wait for relief, but none arrives, as Commonwealth and Cossack cavalry have been sent to disrupt the Russian rear.

Some historians also cite dissent and internal divisions in the Russian camp as responsible for their inaction and ineffectiveness.(Jasienica blames the Russian warlords, and Parker the foreign mercenaries.)

The Tatar invasion threatening the south Russian borderlands is a contributing factor, with many soldiers and boyars from those regions deserting the Russian camp to return to protect their homeland.

Some foreign mercenaries also desert to the Commonwealth side.