Notification for all Russian garrison's committees in the cities of Finland

Copy to Chairman of Senate,
to all government institutions
and Heads of the Civil Guard

Brave Russian soldiers.

Those under my command, the peasant troops of the independent Republic of Finland, are not fighting against Russia, but have risen to defend freedom and the legal government, and to subdue without pity those groups of hooligans and bandits who publicly threaten the country's legal order as well as property. Although many have assured that they will be completely neutral with regard to the party battles prevailing in our country, irresponsible armed sailors and soldiers in the cities of Southern Finland have publicly assisted to rapists and traitors, which use weapon against the protection corps, kill the civilians and practice the brutal forms of violence. On January 26, during a consultation in the Regional Committee, the Russian commissar informed the Chairman of the Senate that, because the social revolution in Finland had already begun, he considered the duty of the Russian troops stationed in our country to contribute to the actions of the Red Guard, in other words – traitors and rioters.

The foregoing considerations have forced me, with the sole aim of protection, toook the only possible and effective protective action for preserve neutrality, namely to demand the disarmament of troops in the Northern Finland. If this condition is fulfilled, I guarantee them the full personal security and the free return to their homeland after agreement with the Russian government. As for the weapons, we will dealt with it depending a special agreement with the Russian government.

Russian warriors! Enough blood has already been shed. Let the Finns, both the peasants and the workers, decide their own destiny! People army's anger grows fast, the freedom-loving peasants will not allow violenc and the national movement will not stop until the people get rid of any illegal intervention to the internal affairs of the country.

Commander in Chief of the Government Forces of the Republic of Finland, General Mannerheim
Vaasa, January 30, 1918