To S.K. Timoshenko, N.S. Khrushchev, and Kh. Bagramyan, May 27, 1942

Source: Tom 18

To Comrades Timoshenko, Khrushchev, and Bagramyan

Within the past four days, the Stavka has received from you no reports on the state of affairs regarding the troops that are trapped as a result of your recklessness. I warn you for the last time that if you continue to treat the Stavka with such carelessness in the future, you will be removed from your posts and demoted.

Stalin

Note

On May 17, 1942, the enemy launched a powerful counterstrike against the flanks of the Barvenkovo salient, resulting in the encirclement of three Soviet armies. The catastrophe claimed approximately 270,000 killed and captured. The Barvenkovo operation was the greatest Soviet defeat since Kiev in 1941.