[3] In Rostov and Novocherkassk, the former Imperial Russian generals Lavr Kornilov and Mikhail Alekseyev initiated the creation of the counter-revolutionary Volunteer Army.

[6] It was decided to transfer troops from central Russia to this region, led by Vladimir Antonov-Ovseenko, one of the commanders of the Bolshevik coup in Petrograd.

Part of Antonov-Ovseenko's troops was directed to support it in an armed struggle against the forces loyal to the Central Council of Ukraine, while the others continued the fight against Kaledin.

[10] After taking control of Rostov-on-Don and Novocherkassk, he expected to march further south to join the troops of the 39th Infantry Division of the Russian Army, who had shown strong sympathies for the Bolsheviks prior to the revolution.

[11] On 8 January 1918, Antonov-Ovseenko divided his forces into two groups: the first, headed by Rudolf Sivers,[11] numbering 10,000 soldiers,[12] was to attack Taganrog, and then Rostov, the second, under the command of Yuriy Sablin, was entrusted with the task of joining Petrov's troops.

[11] Sablin's group managed to connect with Petrov's troops, but on 31 January, they suffered a defeat at Licha in a battle against Vasily Chernetsov's Cossacks.

[11] On 25 January, Sivers' group was defeated at Matvieyovy Kurgan by Alexander Kutepov's less numerous but more disciplined unit, in the first serious clashes with the Whites.