Telegram to G.V. Chicherin (before May 4, 1918)

Source: Tom 17

Antonov, seeking a way out of his predicament and that of his detachments, proposes that all Soviets adjacent to the front organize a border guard, display white flags, and disarm Antonov's detachments as they cross the border. He further declares that if this is carried out, he will officially resign his powers, transferring them to the CC of Ukraine, which, it seems, does not exist. In other words, the idea is to liquidate the war inside Ukraine so as to deprive the Germans of any pretext for invading the territory of the Russian Federation. All of us here believe that Antonov's request must be honored. The aforementioned order must be dispatched immediately and in categorical form. First of all to the Voronezh Soviet and Rostov, as well as to Sevastopol by radio. We believe that such an order will expedite the armistice and facilitate our preparatory work for the negotiations. One interesting piece of news: the anticipated offensive against Korenevo, south of Lgov, did not take place. Our detachments retreated slightly. They assure us that the retreat is not disorderly and will soon be rectified.

Source: Bolshevik Leadership. Correspondence. 1912-1927, p. 39.

RGASPI. F. 558. Op. 1. D. 5401. L. 1.

NOTE

On May 4, 1918, V.A. Antonov-Ovseenko submitted a statement to the Council of People's Commissars resigning his powers as Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Republics in connection with the retreat of Soviet forces beyond the borders of Ukraine and their disarmament in accordance with the requirements of the Brest-Litovsk agreement. The reference is to his order issued that same day to all forces in Ukraine and the Donetsk Workers' Republic to surrender their weapons to the military authorities of the RSFSR.