Red Moscow

After repelling two German attacks in a row, Sokov worried that the Germans would not play their cards according to the routine. Attack. Therefore, he urged the 125th regiment in the city to hurry up and repair work, and prepare for street fighting with the enemy.

After the order was issued, Sukov still felt uneasy, so he personally took people to the city for inspection. After the head of the regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Ershakov, got the news, he immediately rushed over with several staff officers to greet him.

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Sokov asked bluntly after waiting for Yershakov to salute, "How is your fortification repaired?"

"Report to Comrade Division Commander," Ershakov quickly straightened his body and replied, "We have followed your order and built necessary fortifications on important streets..."

"Just talking is not enough. I want to see with my own eyes the fortifications you have built." Before the other party finished speaking, Sokov interrupted him: "See if it is as reliable as you said."

Ershakov hurriedly waved to two jeeps parked not far away, motioning for the driver to drive over: "Comrade commander, the city is too big, you'd better sit in the car and inspect it."

Sokov sat in the co-pilot's seat, quietly observing the outside environment through the window glass. Fortifications piled with sandbags and logs were built at the intersection, sandbags were also placed on the windows of the buildings on both sides, and machine guns were mounted on them, which could form cross-dimensional firepower with the fortifications on the ground to block this section of the street.

As for the anti-tank tripods, although they can also be seen, the number is too small. Sokov counted along the way, there are only more than 30, and they are all placed on important streets. He felt that he should explain to Ershakov later to make more anti-tank tripods, and have them on every street as soon as possible.

The two jeeps stopped at the church square in the city center, and Sokov and Ershakov got off successively. Ershakov trotted up to Sokov, and asked with some guilt: "Comrade commander, what do you think of the fortifications of our regiment?"

Based on his observations along the way, Sokov felt that the 125th Regiment's defense was doing pretty well, so he nodded and said, "Overall it looks okay."

Being able to get Sokov's evaluation of "not bad", Ershakov felt more at ease. He heard Sokov continue to say: "This church is the commanding height of the whole city, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, in addition to deploying machine gun fire points, you should also deploy elite snipers on it to sniper the German commander from a long distance...

You built barricades on the cross streets and set up machine gun positions in the buildings on both sides. In doing so, you can form a three-dimensional crossfire and blockade this block. This idea is very good, but it is not enough. "

Hearing that Sokov said that his fortifications were still incomplete, Ershakov hurriedly asked modestly: "Comrade commander, I don't know where we still have deficiencies, please advise."

"When the German tanks pass through the barricades, they will definitely be at full speed. If you arrange two rocket launchers in the buildings on both sides." Sokov said: "Then you can easily destroy the enemy's tanks. Lost tanks Covering German infantry, in our city, can't take advantage of it."

"So that's the case." Sokov's words made Ershakov suddenly realize: "I understand, Comrade Commander. I will deploy soldiers carrying rocket launchers in the buildings behind the barricades as soon as possible to carry out anti-tank operations. .”

"Comrade Commander," Sokov was discussing with Ershakov the advantages of the existing fortifications and the areas that need improvement, when the third battalion commander, Captain Shamrih, ran over from a distance, and he came to Soko In front of the husband, he said out of breath: "There is a general who is inspecting the defense area of ​​our battalion."

"A general?" Sokov couldn't help being taken aback by Shamrikh's report, and he thought to himself: I haven't heard of any general coming to Luhansk for inspection recently. He subconsciously asked: "Which general belongs to which department, and where is it now?"

"He said he was the commander of the First Guards Infantry Corps," Shamrich said anxiously, "He said he wanted to see the highest-ranking commander in the city. I called the division headquarters, and Lieutenant Colonel Sidolin told you I came to the city for inspection. I guessed that you would come to the church area, so I came to try my luck, but I did not expect to meet you."

"It's Lieutenant General Kuznetsov, commander of the First Guards Army," Sokov asked casually, "What is he doing in Lugansk? You know, his troops are currently in the Voronezh Front's organizational structure. "

"Comrade Commander, you made a mistake." Shamrih waved his hands and said, "It's not the First Guards Army, but the commander of the First Guards Infantry Army, just a major general."

After figuring out that the person who came was not Lieutenant General Kuznetsov, but a strange guard commander, a thought flashed through Sokov's mind: "Is the superior planning to send troops to take over his defense?"

Three jeeps, including the jeep brought by Shamrih, drove quickly along the street. Soon he arrived near the command post of the Third Battalion, and Sukov often saw a group of soldiers standing by the side of the road. From the military overcoats and hats they wore, Sokov could tell that they were a group of officers.

The car stopped five or six meters away from the crowd, and when Sokov got out of the car, he saw the major general in the crowd. Quickly ran over to salute the other party: "Hello, Comrade General, I am Colonel Sokov, the commander of the 41st Guards Division, may I help you?"

"Comrade Colonel," the general muttered dissatisfiedly, "do you know how long I have been waiting for you here?"

"Comrade General, I'm really sorry." Sokov didn't know the purpose of the other party's visit, so he could only say with a smile, "I was inspecting the defense in the city. I didn't know you were here, so the delay was quite long."

"Comrade Colonel, I would like to ask, why did we build fortifications in the city?" The general asked angrily, "Don't you know that our troops have almost driven the Germans across the Dnieper River? What kind of fortifications are you going to do when you are fighting?"

"Comrade General, although our Voronezh Front Army and Southwest Front Army have achieved some victories on the battlefield, they may not be able to drive the enemy across the Dnieper River for the time being." Since the opponent is not his direct superior, Sokov Talking to him is not polite, he said bluntly: "I am afraid that the German army may launch a large-scale counter-offensive, and Luhansk will also be threatened. We have no right to take back the city that our commanders and fighters took back after bloodshed. Hand it back over to the Germans, and that's why I'm deploying the city's defenses."

"Colonel, my army headquarters is in Millerovo, northeast of this city. In order to better fight against the enemy, from now on, your division will be under my command temporarily." : "This is my chief of staff, he will assign tasks to you."

"I'm sorry, Comrade General." Sokov has not received any orders from his superiors, so he has the right not to accept them. He replied neither humble nor humble: "Before receiving orders from superiors, our division still belongs to the 62nd Army. .No one can give me orders except Commander Chuikov."

"Colonel, let me ask you to find out, is it the army commander, or is it the other way around?" Seeing that Sokov was unwilling to accept his order, the general couldn't help becoming angry: "If you disobey the order, believe it or not, I will immediately exonerate you." your post, and send you to a court-martial."

Regarding the general's threat, Sokov sneered and replied: "Comrade General, I ask you to make it clear that this is Luhansk, and it is the defense area of ​​the 41st Guards Division. The front army and the army group headquarters gave me The order is to defend the city at all costs. If we are assigned to command a certain army, the superior will notify me.

But unfortunately, I have not received any such orders so far. Sorry, Comrade General, if you have nothing to do, please leave my defense zone. Even if the superior wants to assign my troops to your command, you need to show the authorization letter from the superior before I will obey your order. "

The guard commander, who was contradicted by Sokov, turned blue with anger, but he had nothing to do with Sokov. He pointed at Sokov, and said through gritted teeth: "Colonel, you remember what you said today, I will make you pay the price sooner or later."