Red Moscow

With the maintenance station moved into the machinery factory, the original equipment of the machinery factory can be used at will, and the work efficiency has been greatly improved.

Originally, according to Adil's estimation, the destroyed tanks of the 219th Tank Brigade could only repair 15 tanks at best, but with the strengthening of maintenance machinery, more than 20 tanks were repaired within two days. Moreover, from various indications, there are at least five to eight tanks that can be repaired.

After hearing the news, Sameko said emotionally to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I really didn't expect that moving the repair station to the machinery factory would have such a good effect. According to Adil, at least Two-thirds of the tanks that were destroyed could be repaired."

"Yes." Sokov also said with emotion: "In the past, there were always people who disliked the comrades in the maintenance station for their low work efficiency, but they never thought about what kind of environment the comrades in the maintenance station repaired for them during the battle. The damaged tank. I went to the factory to have a look yesterday. Just to lift the turret of the tank, if there is no cooperation of the crane, it will take at least seven or eight workers and it will take two to three hours to complete. The crane in the machinery factory is intact , It is very useful in hoisting the turret, which greatly shortens the installation time and improves work efficiency."

"General Sokov is right." Managarov, who went to inspect with Sokov yesterday, couldn't help but interjected when he heard this: "The working environment of the maintenance station is too simple, and the required equipment is rare. After moving to the machinery factory, this problem was solved. By the way, I asked the station chief Adil yesterday, and he said that the German tanks can also be repaired.”

Sameko stared at Managarov, and said with some surprise: "The structure of the tanks is similar. Since the repair station can repair our army's tanks, it can naturally repair German tanks."

Managarov did not answer, but turned his head and winked at his chief of staff, Derevyanko. Seeing Managarov's wink, Derevyanko quickly said: "General Sokov, I would like to ask if the German tanks that were destroyed in the defense area of ​​the 28th Guards Division can be recovered after being repaired by the maintenance station. Attached to my army?"

To be honest, Sokov did not have much interest in German tanks. The tanks destroyed by the 28th Guards Division were basically all No. 3 and No. 4 tanks. The number of Panther tanks was pitifully small, and the number of Tiger tanks was even worse I can't even see the shadow. Therefore, upon hearing the request made by Derevyanko, he said generously: "General Derevyanko, continue that these tanks were destroyed in the defense area of ​​the 28th Guards Division, so after the maintenance station is repaired, it must be fully replenished." Here you go, we don't want one."

In the defense area of ​​the 28th Guards Division, more than 30 German tanks were destroyed, and even if only half of them could be repaired, there were still 15 tanks. This was tantamount to timely rain for the 53rd Army, which lacked tanks. But if Sukov got in the way and insisted on going in several cars, they couldn't find a reason to refuse.

Hearing Sokov's generous statement at this moment, he didn't even want one car, and gave them all after repairing. Derevyanko couldn't help being overjoyed, and thanked him repeatedly: "Thank you, thank you, General Sokov, On behalf of all commanders and fighters of the 53rd Army, I thank you for your generosity."

The reason why Sokov agreed to give all the repaired German tanks to the 53rd Army was not because of his generosity, but because he knew in his heart that if he did not try to strengthen the strength of the 53rd Army, they would become their own defensive opponents. short board.

"General Derevyanko," Sokov asked after Derevyanko finished speaking, "How is the enemy attacking from the southeast going?"

"The enemy's attack has been contained by our heroic 252nd Infantry Division." Derevyanko replied proudly: "In any case, the 252nd Division is also a unit that has won the lofty honor of 'Kharkov'. There is absolutely nothing to worry about if they stick to the Klemenchug Reservoir."

Sokov did not object to Derevyanko's statement. The German army's attacking troops in the southwest had only one division. If the 252nd Division could not stop it, it would probably be withdrawn by the Supreme Command. lofty honor. And this situation is what the commanders and fighters of the 53rd Army and the 252nd Division do not want to see. In order to protect the honor they have won, when facing the German attack, they will definitely inspire their greatest potential and fight the enemy to the end.

"Do you need to send troops to support them?" Although Derevyanko said with confidence, Sokov still asked with concern: "Now our department has several divisions outside the city. Open your mouth, I will send troops to reinforce the Klemenchug Reservoir in the shortest possible time."

"No need, no need." This time it was Managarov who spoke, and he said with a smile: "General Sokov, my 299th Infantry Division and the troops directly under the army are always on standby. If the battle on the front side becomes unfavorable to our army, they will rush over to reinforce in time."

"General Managarov, I don't think there is a big problem with the Klemenchug Reservoir." Sameko, who had just answered a phone call, suddenly said excitedly: "The enemy attacking there will soon retreat. gone."

"The enemy attacking there will retreat soon?" Sameko's words surprised everyone, and Derevyanko asked curiously: "General Sameko, I wonder if you can tell me how you got came to this conclusion?"

"The reason is very simple." Sameko smiled, suppressing the ecstasy in his heart, and replied: "I just received a call from the Front Army Command. Half an hour ago, the 5th and 7th Guards Army The troops have successfully captured Poltava and wiped out the defenders of the city."

After listening to Sameko's words, everyone looked down at the map in front of them. The liberation of Poltava meant that the 27th and 53rd armies were no longer isolated behind the enemy and could be encircled at any time. The main force is advancing towards the Dnieper River, and they will become the main force to attack the right bank.

After everyone looked at the map for a while, Managarov raised his head first, looked at Sokov and asked, "General Sokov, how long do you think the main force of our army will take to reach the Dnieper River?"

Sokov, who had just read the map, was very excited. He led the troops here to resist the German attack for more than half a month, and finally waited for the time to counterattack. Hearing Managarov ask himself, he replied: "Comrade General, although Poltava has been liberated by our army, it will take at least three to five days for the main force to reach us."

"It will take three to five days?" Although Managarov can calculate the time when the friendly troops will arrive, he can't help but feel a little disappointed when he hears Sokov say that it will take three to five days. "It seems that our fighters still have to wait for a while."

"Comrade General, it is necessary to wait." Sokov said to Managarov: "Due to the unsatisfactory traffic conditions, the supplies we have received are limited, which is not enough to support us to launch a large-scale offensive. We We can use the time of waiting for friendly forces to hoard a large number of weapons, ammunition and various military supplies needed for the troops to attack, so that our offensive can last for a long time after it begins.”

When it comes to weapons and ammunition, the expression on Sameko's face becomes serious: "Comrade Commander, if we want to attack the enemy, our ammunition reserves on the right bank can only last about one day."

"Only one day's worth of reserves?" Sokov shook his head and said, "If we launch an offensive against the Germans, the battle cannot end in one day. Comrade Chief of Staff, we must seize the time to hoard weapons, ammunition and All kinds of military supplies to ensure their use in future operations.”

"Okay, Comrade Commander." Sameko nodded and said, "I will immediately contact the logistics force and ask them to send as much supplies as possible to the right bank."

"General Managarov," Sokov ordered to go to Sameko, then turned to Managarov and said, "How is your army's ammunition reserves?"

Managarov didn't know how to answer this question, so he could only turn his eyes to his chief of staff, hoping that he would answer. Seeing Managarov's gaze, Derevyanko nodded slightly, and then reported to Sokov: "General Sokov, I am ashamed to say that the ammunition we have is barely enough for defensive warfare. If it is used for offense, I am afraid it will not last for half a day."

"This is not okay, General Managarov." Sokov felt that this kind of thing should be communicated directly with Managarov: "When the main force of the front army approaches the Dnieper River, Commander Konev will definitely Order us to attack the enemy and build a wider landing field on the right bank. If you don’t have enough ammunition, not only will you not be able to complete the tasks assigned to you by your superiors, but you may even be repelled by the enemy.”

If someone else had said such things to Managarov, he would surely have complained. But now the person who said this was Sokov, so he could only accept it calmly. After all, the attack on the German army near the Dnieper River at the beginning of the year ended in failure because of insufficient ammunition.

"You are right, General Sokov." Managarov nodded and said, "There is no enough ammunition to attack the enemy. Don't worry, we will use this time to hoard weapons and ammunition... "

Before Managarov finished speaking, the phone on the desk rang. Sameko picked up the receiver and listened for a while, then said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, General Konev is looking for you. "

Hearing that it was Konev who was looking for him, Sokov stood up abruptly and reached out to answer the phone, not even caring about the chair that fell over because he got up too hard.

"Hello, Comrade Front Commander, I'm Sokov."

"Comrade Sokov!" After taking Poltava, Konev was in a particularly happy mood: "You must have heard about the liberation of Poltava?"

"Yes, Comrade Front Army Commander, I have heard about it." Sokov replied mechanically, "I wonder what your plans are for the next step?"

It was impossible for Konev to reveal his combat intentions to Sokov at such a time, but he said in general: "I plan to order the main force of the Front Army to move in the direction of Kremenchug and Dneproperzhinsk. And cross the Dnieper River from this area. When the main force arrives, your army group may be the first to attack the enemy. How about it? Is there any difficulty?"

Sokov didn't expect Konev to be so straightforward. After a brief silence, he replied: "Report to Comrade Front Army Commander, if we want to attack the enemy, our strength is barely enough, but in terms of weapons and ammunition..."

"How long can your weapons and ammunition last?"

"If it is used for defense, it can last for about three days." Sokov replied, "But if it is used for offense, it may not be able to last for a day."

The difficulty raised by Sokov made Konev fall into deep thought. He vaguely remembered that since the 27th Army entered Klemenchug, the supplies it received were all at the lowest level. The weapons and ammunition it has now can only This possibility does exist to maintain the offensive needs for a day.

Thinking of this, Konev said into the microphone: "Comrade Sokov, I understand all your difficulties, and I will solve them for you as soon as possible. But you must hurry up and send a reconnaissance team to find out the deployment of the enemy's troops. , get ready for the next attack."

"Comrade Front Army Commander, you can rest assured about this." Sokov replied confidently: "We have never stopped reconnaissance of the enemy. As long as the time is right, we can attack the enemy immediately."

"How is the situation of the 53rd Army?" Konev continued to ask: "Do they have the ability to attack the enemy?"

"It's still a matter of ammunition." Sokov glanced at Managarov and reported to Konev: "If an attack is launched, our ammunition can last for a day, while they can only last for half a day."

"What, is their situation so bad?" Sokov's words surprised Konev.

"That's right, before you called, we were discussing the issue of ammunition." Sokov replied calmly, "If the ammunition they have is used for an offensive, it may not last for half a day. Therefore, let the If we fight the front line, we must first add enough ammunition to us."

"You are right, Comrade Sokov." Konev agrees with Sokov very much. As the commander of the front army, he naturally understands the reasons for the disastrous defeat of the Soviet army at the beginning of the year, and the lack of ammunition is one of them. One of the reasons for this is that he doesn't want his troops to repeat the same mistakes. "Without enough ammunition, there is no way to attack the enemy. Please tell General Managarov, and I will notify the logistics department to increase the supply of your two armies and ensure that before the offensive begins, enough weapons and ammunition."

Sokov put down the phone and said to Managarov: "Comrade General, I have already made an agreement with the commander of the front army to ask the logistics department of the front army to increase our supplies in the near future to ensure that we can stockpile enough supplies before the offensive begins." ammunition."

"This is really great, General Sokov." When Managarov learned that Poltava had been liberated, he was eager to command his troops to launch an attack on the German army. However, due to insufficient ammunition, the attack on the enemy can only stay on the plan on paper. Now that Konev has made a promise that he is willing to provide enough supplies for his troops, there is nothing to worry about in the next battle. "After the offensive operation starts, the troops of our group army will definitely ensure that your flanks will not be attacked by the enemy."