The Soviet authorities in Ekaterinburg comprised:
(a) The Divisional Council of the Urals, consisting of about thirty members under the presidency of Commissary Bieloborodof.
(b) The Presidium, a sort of executive committee of several members: Bieloborodof, Golochtchokine, Syromolotof, Safarof, Voïkof, etc.
(c) The Tchrezvytchaïka. The popular title of the “Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and Speculation,” with its centre at Moscow and branches throughout Russia. This is a formidable organisation which is the very foundation of the Soviet régime. Each section receives its orders direct from Moscow and carries them out through its own resources. Every Tchrezvytchaïka of any importance commands the services of a band of nondescript agents, generally Austro-German prisoners of war, Letts, Chinese, etc., who are in reality nothing more than highly-paid executioners.
In Ekaterinburg the Tchrezvytchaïka was all-powerful. Its most influential members were Commissaries Yourovsky, Golochtchokine, etc.
Avdief was under the immediate control of the other commissaries, members of the Presidium and Tchrezvytchaïka. They were not long in realising the change which had come about in the feelings of the guards towards their prisoners, and resolved to adopt drastic measures. At Moscow, too, there was uneasiness, as was proved by the following telegram sent from Ekaterinburg by Bieloborodof to Sverdlof and Golochtchokine (who was then at Moscow): “Syromolotof just left for Moscow to organise according to instructions from centre. Anxiety unnecessary. Useless to worry. Avdief revoked. Mochkine arrested. Avdief replaced by Yourovsky. Inside guard changed, replaced by others.”
This telegram is dated July 4th.
On this day Avdief and his adjutant Mochkine were arrested and replaced by Commissary Yourovsky, a Jew, and his subordinate Nikouline. The guard formed—as has already been mentioned—exclusively of Russian workmen, was transferred to a neighbouring house, that of Popof.
Yourovsky brought with him ten men—nearly all Austro-German prisoners of war—“selected” from among the executioners of the Tchrezvytchaïka. Henceforward these formed the inside guard, the outside sentries being still furnished by the Russian guard.
The “house destined for a special purpose” had become a branch of the Tchrezvytchaïka, and the lives of the prisoners became one long martyrdom.