Dear Comrade Commander of the Northern Fronts.
You will recall that STAVKA has been most generous in letting front commanders handle their responsibilities as they see fit without giving too many detailed orders.
This is unprecedented and has been achieved through great efforts, by this Marshal, to convince our Comrade General Secretary of the Communist Party's Central Committee that military success is most likely to be achieved by allowing front commanders great freedom in organizing their defences. If it were not for the efforts of this Marshal, the front commanders would only have one order, which would be "not a step back".
I am not an unreasonable man, however, and I could consider constructing major defensive lines behind the backs of our frontline troops at the express request of a front commander. However, that front commander must realize what he then implicitly tells us about his belief in his ability to successfully defend our motherland.
STAVKA has considered your request to construct defences around Rostov and has reached the following conclusion:
1. There will be no defensive positions prepared around Rostov.
2. We will send two high ranking political commissars to your command headquarters to oversee your actions and report back to us in two weeks time. (You will not get any APs for the next two turns).
SIGNED
Marshal Hortlundski