in the campaign “Soviet-Ukrainian War: First Invasion and the Puppet Government (December 1917 - April 1918)”
In January 1918 the troops of Soviet Russia marched on Kyiv. On 16 (29) January Antonov-Ovseyenko, people's commissar for the struggle against counter-revolution in the South, appointed Muravyov commander-in-chief of all Soviet troops acting against the Central Rada[1]. On 17 (30) January, from Bakhmach (a railway junction on the way from Russia to Kyiv), Muravyov reported to the government of Soviet Russia and to Antonov-Ovseyenko: "After a two-day battle the 1st revolutionary army of Yegorov, supported by the 2nd army of Berzin, defeated at Kruty station the counter-revolutionary troops of the Rada, led by Petliura himself", and ended: "I am marching on Kyiv. The peasants greet the revolutionary troops with enthusiasm"[1]. On 21 January (3 February) he told Antonov-Ovseyenko over the direct line: "The revolutionary armies are 20 versts from Darnytsia. For the second day we are moving forward on foot and on carts, since all the bridges have been blown up by the Rada's troops, the tracks are wrecked"[1]. On 25 January (7 February) Muravyov laid out the seizure of the city street by street: "The First Army is to take Fundukleyevska, Volodymyrska, Khreshchatyk and the Merchants' Garden. The Second Army is to take the arsenal, the fortress, Pechersk and all the heights near the fortress and the Lavra. Army commander 2 Berzin is to bring in one or two batteries for street fighting, depending on the situation. Army commander Yegorov is to bring the Bryansk battery into the city"[2]. On 27 January (9 February) he reported to Antonov-Ovseyenko: "At last, after 5 days of fighting in the streets of Kyiv, I have taken possession of the city"[2].