To the commander of defense of the Finnish region D.N.Nadeshny1

March 4, 1918

1. Small German detachments followed by much bigger forces, are rapidly invade the country along railway and highways. According to the information we have, small German forces had reached Wesenberg2, Pskov, Polotsk, Borisov, Rogachev and Zhlobin.

2. At all that front the measures to suppress the invading are taking. We organized serious resistance centers, giving the command of all armed forces of the country that are assembled near those centers to responsible persons, who are given the full credibility.

You are appointed the commander of defense of the Finnish region. You must intercept the enemy access to Petrograd by the Karelian Isthmus.

I order you to immediately start forming armed detachments. You are to report all problems connected with that affair to room number 85 of the former Smolny Institute (enlistment), and to room number 75 (logistics) for realization of the mission. Not only the new detachments, but all our forces and fortresses situated in Finland, are under your command.

3. Your initial tasks are:
1) Heavily fortify the line from Vyborg fortress to Heinäjoki and along the river Vuoksa from the village Vuosalmi to Lake Ladoga, and to move advanced guards to the line Säkkijärvi-Villmanstrand3;
2) When the cumulated strength will be sufficient, you shall take-over the river Vuoksa, and to move advanced guards to the line Ruokolahti–Ilme–Hiitola;
3) The ultimate target is to achieve Lake Saimaa, with establishing the line Sulkava-Nyslott4-Serdobol.

4. The dispatches should be sent to the Defense Minister Building, 67 Moika Street.

Headquarters chief commander
Bonch-Bruevich5

The Central State Archives of the Soviet Army, fund 3, list 1, file 78, pp. 104. (Vidimus)

  1. Dmitry Nycolaevich Nadeshny (1873-1945) – the former lieutenant-general of the Russian army.
  2. Rakvere, Estonia.
  3. Lappeenranta, Finland.
  4. Savonlinna, Finland.
  5. Mihail Dmitrievich Bonch-Bruevich (1870-1956) – the former major-general of the Russian army.