Red Moscow

Before Sokov entered the theater, Konev hurried out from it, and the two met at the door.

"No need to salute." Sokov saw that the other party was about to salute him, so he quickly raised his hand to stop him, and asked straight to the point: "Colonel Konev, do you have any news about the Deputy Chief of Staff?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Konev couldn't help being taken aback, and then asked back: "Comrade Commander, hasn't the Deputy Chief of Staff been with you all the time?"

Sokov sighed softly, and said helplessly, "Comrade Colonel, shortly after your division entered the city, he brought a company of guards into the city."

"What? The deputy chief of the general staff has entered the city with a company of guards?" Konev was shocked by Sokov's words: "Comrade commander, why didn't you stop him? You know, there are wars all over the city , it will be troublesome if you encounter the Germans."

"Comrade Colonel, if I insist on going to the front to watch the battle, can you stop me?"

Konev thought for a moment, and said the answer helplessly: "I don't think so."

"That's right." Sokov continued: "Since you can't stop me from going to the most dangerous place; how can I stop the deputy chief of staff from going to the most dangerous place?"

Konev accidentally saw Koshkin being supported by someone, and recognized that he was a subordinate who was protecting Sokov, and asked curiously, "Lieutenant Koshkin, why are you injured?"

"On our way here, we encountered the infiltrating enemy." Sokov said briefly: "Lieutenant Koshkin was hit by a grenade while bayoneting the Germans."

Knowing that Sokov encountered the German army on the way here, Konev was frightened into a cold sweat: "Comrade Commander, are you in no danger?"

Sokov pointed at the steel helmet on top of his head, "The helmet was hit by a German bullet. Fortunately, the opponent's marksmanship was inaccurate. If it was lower by three centimeters, you should be seeing my dead body at this moment."

Konev only felt his legs tremble unconsciously. He didn't expect that before Sokov came to his headquarters, he would encounter the German army on the road, and even almost lost his life.

"Comrade Commander," Fritzman next to him stepped forward to support Konev, and politely said to Sokov: "This is not a place to talk, let's go to the headquarters."

"Yes, yes, yes," Konev glanced at Fritzman with gratitude, and said smoothly, "Comrade Commander, this is not a place to talk, let's go to my headquarters."

Sokov followed Konev and Fritzmann. When he walked through the auditorium, he saw many wounded people lying in the aisle, and health workers were squatting beside them, treating their wounds. He slowed down and asked Ke Nev: "Comrade Colonel, how many wounded do you have here?"

"There are 41 people, Comrade Commander." Before Konev could speak, Fritzman said first: "These wounded are all from our regiment, and 24 of them are seriously wounded."

Sokov waited for Fritzman to finish, and said apologetically: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, please explain to the wounded that due to the special situation, they cannot be transported out temporarily, so they can only be wronged to stay here for a while." It's time."

"Comrade Commander, don't worry." Fritzman replied, "I think the wounded can understand under the current situation. After all, when we fought in the past, we couldn't evacuate the wounded for four or five days. It’s commonplace.” After speaking, Fritzman called a female hygienist and asked her to help Koshkin bandage the wound.

After arriving at Konev's headquarters, Sokov said to Konev: "Comrade Colonel, immediately get in touch with the 8th and 10th Regiments to find out whether Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff has gone to them."

"Okay." Konev agreed, then called a staff officer and told him to contact the other two regiments by radio to see if any of them had seen Stemenko.

A few minutes later, the staff came back in a hurry and reported: "Report to Comrade Division Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Pingkov, head of the 8th Regiment, reported that half an hour ago, Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff had been to his headquarters and learned about the war. As soon as the progress is made, leave."

"Leaving?!" Sokov and Konev asked in unison: "Where did you go?"

"According to the direction they left, they should have gone to the combat area of ​​the 10th Airborne Regiment."

Sokov heard an important message from the staff officer's words: "Comrade staff officer, haven't you got in touch with the 10th Airborne Corps?"

Hearing Sokov's question, the staff officer couldn't help but blushed, and replied with some embarrassment: "Yes, Comrade Commander. At present, I have only established contact with the 8th Regiment..."

"Why didn't you contact the 10th regiment?" This time it was Konev who spoke, and he asked a little angrily, "Don't you know that the situation that Comrade Commander needs to know is very important?"

The staff officer replied in a panic: "Comrade commander, then I will contact the 10th regiment immediately."

"Comrade Staff Officer," Sokov worried that the staff officer would make mistakes in his busy schedule, and quickly comforted him, "Don't worry, take your time and try not to make mistakes."

"Yes, Comrade Commander." The staff officer glanced at Sokov with gratitude, and then walked quickly to the position of the radio, ready to contact Lieutenant Colonel Tongzihe's 10th Airborne Regiment.

A few minutes later, the staff officer, who was holding the headset and microphone, turned to Sokov and said, "Comrade Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Tongzihe is online, and he wants to talk to you."

Sokov walked over quickly, put the headset on his head, and said into the microphone: "Is this Lieutenant Colonel Tongzihe? I'm Sokov. I want to ask you, have you seen the vice president?" Comrade Chief of Staff?" After asking this sentence, Sokov felt extremely uneasy, just like when he was studying and waiting for the teacher to announce his grades.

"I see it, Comrade Commander." Tongjihe replied loudly, "I saw it."

Tonjihe's reply was like the sounds of nature to Sokov. He asked shortly, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, where is the Deputy Chief of Staff?"

"That's right, Comrade Commander." Tunzikh explained to Sokov: "The deputy chief of staff arrived at the same time as an artillery unit, and he is currently checking the arrangement of the artillery positions outside."

"Pull him back, pull him back immediately." Sokov worried that Tongzihe would not realize the seriousness of the problem, and said with emphasis: "The deputy chief of staff is an important task, how can we let him stay in a dangerous place? ? Immediately pull him back to your command post, and say that I have something important to find him."

"Okay, Comrade Commander." Tongjihe said briefly, "I'll ask Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff to come in."

A few minutes later, Stemenko's familiar voice came from Sokov's earphones: "Hello, Comrade Sokov. What can I do for you?"

"My Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, I finally found you." Hearing Shtemenko's voice, Sokov breathed a sigh of relief: "There are many enemies in the city, and I was worried that you would be in danger."

"How could it be?" Shtemenko said carelessly, "I have more than a hundred commanders and fighters by my side, and there is also an artillery battalion. Besides, we are operating in an area controlled by our army. What danger can there be?"

"Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, you can't take it lightly." Seeing that Shtemenko underestimated the enemy, Sokov kindly reminded him: "Although we have controlled a lot of areas, we cannot form a large army due to too few troops. The defense system is perfect, and the Germans can infiltrate our defense zone."

"I don't think it's such a coincidence." Shtemenko didn't care about Sokov's statement at all, but continued to say disapprovingly: "Even if there are German troops infiltrating, I'm afraid the number will not be too many. Our soldiers can easily Eliminate them."

Sokov didn't want to talk about his encounter with the German army at first, but seeing that Shtemenko still didn't care, he could only say: "When I just led the team into the city, I encountered two German army squads one after another, and they didn't care. There was a fight."

Shtemenko had always believed that there would never be German troops in the area occupied by the Soviet army, but after hearing Sokov's words at this moment, he couldn't help but be surprised: "Comrade Sokov, is this all true?"

"Yes, Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, I'm telling the truth." Seeing that Shtemenko believed his words a little, Sokov said while the iron was hot: "My guard company commander, Lieutenant Koshkin, , In order to cover me, unfortunately, I was injured."

Having said that, Shtemenko realized the seriousness of the problem, and he tentatively asked, "Is Lieutenant Koshkin's injury all right?"

"He was hit by a stray bullet in the ribs, and the health worker is treating the wound for him now. I don't think his injury should be too serious." After Sukov said this, he immediately added: "The deputy chief of staff Comrade, you are in a dangerous position. For your safety, I advise you to come to the division headquarters immediately."

"Division headquarters?" asked Shtemenko. "Where is it?"

"In a theater in the south of the city." Sokov said here, and turned to Konev who was standing aside: "Comrade Colonel, what is the name of this theater?"

Konev did not dare to neglect, and quickly reported the name of the theater to Sokov. After listening, Sokov repeated the name of the theater into the microphone, and finally said: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, I am now at the headquarters of the 3rd Airborne Division, you should come here. Much safer than where you are now."

Regarding Sokov's proposal, Shtemenko thought for a long time, and finally chose to compromise: "Okay, Comrade Sokov, I will rush to the headquarters of the 3rd Division immediately."

Lieutenant Colonel Tonzikh, who was standing next to Stemenko, asked tentatively: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, do you need me to send someone to escort you to the division headquarters?"

"No need, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Shtemenko rejected Tonzikh's kindness: "There are not many troops around you, if I take them away, your strength here will become even weaker. Besides, when I came here this time, I originally brought a company of guards, and I believe they are fully capable of escorting me to the division headquarters safely."

Since Shtemenko said that there was no need for an escort, Tongzihe did not insist on his opinion any longer. He just sent him out of the command post and watched the opponent's troops disappear from sight before returning to his own command post to direct the battle .

Shtemenko had just walked halfway with his troops, when suddenly there were noisy footsteps from the street next to him. He thought he had encountered the infiltrating German army, so he quickly ordered the soldiers to find a place to hide and prepare for battle.

Soon, a troop turned around the corner of the street. From their clothes, Shtemenko recognized at a glance that these were airborne troops. But he didn't immediately get up to greet the other party, because the troops who had just entered the city were in the most nervous state, and when they suddenly saw a person jumping out from the side of the road, they might have pulled the trigger immediately.

Shtemenko gestured to the captain, who was hiding behind a rock, to address the approaching unit. The captain nodded, and then shouted at the approaching troops: "Hey, stop! Which part are you from?"

The sudden sound startled the marching soldiers, they hurriedly dispersed, looked for hidden positions on both sides of the street, and prepared for battle.

"Hello~!" The captain saw that the troops on the opposite side had dispersed and were ready to fight, so he continued to shout: "I am from the military guard regiment, which part are you?"

The other person heard what the captain said, but he didn't choose to believe him immediately, but asked instead: "You said you belonged to the military guard regiment, what can you prove?"

"I'm really from the military guard regiment," the captain had already guessed that the other party would not trust him easily, so he poked out half of his head cautiously, and continued to shout: "I am under the order of the army commander, General Afunin, to be in charge. Comrade Commander's security work."

Although the commander of the opposing force didn't know whether the military had really sent someone to protect Sokov, he heard the captain's shout and realized that the troops hiding in front should be friendly troops, not German troops. But just to be on the safe side, a lieutenant stood up from the opposing army and walked over cautiously.

Seeing someone approaching from the other party, the captain also stood up from his hiding place, walked around the stone and walked towards the other party.

After the two stood on the road and chatted for a while, the captain came back with the lieutenant. After coming to Shtemenko, the captain reported: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, this lieutenant is from the 9th Regiment of the 3rd Division of the Airborne Forces. They were ordered to come for reinforcements."

Knowing that the reinforcements had arrived, Shtemenko smiled. He looked at the other side and asked, "Comrade Lieutenant, how many troops have you come?"

The lieutenant glanced at Shtemenko's epaulets, and replied respectfully: "Comrade General, our company is the vanguard of the regiment, and the two companies in the battalion are behind us by a kilometer or two. In a few minutes at most, they will also be there." access to the city."

Shtemenko pointed in the direction he came from with his hand, and said to the lieutenant: "Comrade Lieutenant, the front is the defense zone of the 10th Airborne Regiment. Their strength is relatively weak. I think you should go there to deploy defense."

Since it was the order from Shtemenko, the lieutenant dared not say a word, so he could only agree, called his troops, and headed towards the defense area of ​​the 10th Airborne Regiment.

"Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff," the captain said with a relaxed expression when he knew that reinforcements would continue to enter the city: "After the main force of the army arrives, can we take Uman smoothly?"

Shtemenko personally took a trip to the area occupied by the airborne troops, and had a more or less understanding of the situation on the battlefield. He will not blindly think that as long as the troops of the 18th Guards Army arrive, they can easily capture the city. So he smiled and shook his head, and said to the captain: "Comrade captain, Uman City is not small. If you want to destroy the defenders in the city and control the entire city, it is not enough to rely on just one army."