Telegram to Joseph Stalin, February 18, 1920

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Stalin,

Ukrainian Council of the Labour Army, Kharkov

Copy to the Ukrainian Revolutionary Committee

I am glad to learn that you have requisitioned a moderate amount—158 [million poods}—and are leaving ten per cent for the poor, and that you have already detailed three regiments and four squadrons for the Ukrainian Council of the Labour Army.

My advice: (1) protect the coal that is ready and send reinforcements quickly to the Caucasian Front. That is most important of all; (2) protect the salt and let regiments and squadrons occupy one volost after another in the vicinity of the Donets Basin and carry out requisitioning fully, awarding bread and salt to the poor; (3) immediately mobilise part of the Kharkov and Donets Basin workers for the Food Army to work together with the regiments and squadrons; (4) the work of the Ukrainian Council of the Labour Army to be measured by the daily amount of grain and coal delivered and the number of locomotives repaired.

Lenin