V. I.

Lenin

187

TELEGRAM TO V. A. ANTONOV-OVSEYENKO

In code

Antonov, Kiev
Copies to Podvoisky and Rakovsky

Sokolnikov cables me that Denikin has magnificently taken advantage of the interlude in the Donets coalfields,
fortified himself and gathered fresher forces than ours. The
peril is a tremendous one. The Ukraine is hound to recognise the Donets Basin Front as unquestionably the most
important Ukrainian front, and at all costs to begin immediately carrying out the directive of the
Commander-in-Chief to provide solid reinforcements for the sector
Donets-Mariupol. From Podvoisky’s information I see that
there is a mass of war materiel in the Ukraine, even without
counting Odessa. It should not be hoarded, and both Donets
workers and new units should be formed to take Taganrog and
Rostov. Have you mobilised all the officers in the Ukraine?
At all costs the forces against Denikin must be rapidly
and considerably increased. Cable in as much detail as possible, and make your cipher clerks do their ciphering
more carefully, so that everything can be understood.

Lenin

April 22, 1919