The first action on the Eastern front was the Russian invasion of East Prussia from August to September 1914. The Battle of Gumbinnen was the first victory for the Russian army on August 20th, 1914. However, days later, from August 23rd to 30th in 1914, the Germans recovered and defeated the Russians in the Battle of Tannenberg, taken around 100,000 prisoners and the Russian commander, Alexander Samsonov committed suicide because of the outcome of the battle. Russians also invaded the Kingdom of Galicia and they defeated the Austro-Hungarian army during the battle of Lemberg, forcing them to retire 160 kilometers. Summarizing all that happened on those first months, it's clear that the Russian army wasn't close to defeating the German army, didn't push back severely Germans and Ottomans and neither fighting for its existence. The correct answer is C. Neither losing nor gaining ground in the opening months of WWI.
