00593, also known as NKVD Order about Harbinites (приказ НКВД о харбинцах, ("Харбинский приказ") by September 20, 1937, undersigned by Nikolai Yezhov regulated arrest and prosecution of former Russian personnel (Harbin Russians) of the China Far East Railway (KVZhD), who had lived in Harbin and reemigrated into the Soviet Union after 1935, when the KVZhD was sold to the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo.

[citation needed] It was ordered to perform arrests (from October 1, 1937 to December 25, 1937) of all Harbinites that fell into 13 pre-defined categories.

Those who didn't match any of the listed categories were to be immediately removed from all jobs related to transport and industry.

[citation needed] Soviet intelligence conducted an investigation of Harbin emigres who had recently repatriated to Voronezh Oblast, concluding that out of 2,500 persons investigated, 248 were former members of the White army or intelligence services and 108 were members of overseas political organizations.

[citation needed] According to the data collected by Memorial, 48,133 Harbinites were repressed, of which whom 30,992 were shot.