Red Moscow

The two quickly got in touch with Bornejelin, first congratulated him on becoming the division commander, and then got down to business, asking him what happened and why he suddenly became the division commander of the Guards Division.

Before Ponejielin took office, Sokov had a long talk with him, and he naturally explained the reason for appointing him as division commander, and reminded him that if he still fails to carry out orders from his superiors like Kurishenko did, Resolute, if you miss the opportunity again and again, this division commander will be at an end.

Sokov said these words to him in private, so he can't tell anyone, not even Muzichenko and Kirillov who have been in trouble with him. Therefore, he could only reply vaguely to the two men's questioning: "I don't know the specific situation. Anyway, after I returned from the mission, the commander suddenly announced that I was appointed as the commander of the 41st Guards Division."

After putting down the phone, Muzichenko said to Kirillov: "Do you think there is something wrong with Ponedelin? He doesn't seem to be telling the truth." There is a reason for him to say that. Before the outbreak of the war, he and Ponegerin were old friends, and after being captured, the two stayed in the same prisoner-of-war camp, so it can be said that they knew each other very well.

"Muzchenko," Kirillov didn't realize that Ponedelin was prevaricating, but he thought more clearly: "The reason why Ponedelin didn't tell us the truth is probably because of his difficulties. There is no need to ask any more."

Seeing that Muzichenko seemed to want to say something else, he added: "If I can say anything, I think Ponejielin will never hide anything from us about this kind of matter."

As soon as Muzichenko heard that what Kirilov said made sense, he stopped entangled in the matter of Ponedelin as the commander of the Guards Division, but discussed with Kirilov the issue of city defense.

And Sokov, who was staying in Haixin City, was studying with Smirnov how to deploy the defense after the troops narrowed the defensive zone. Suddenly, a staff officer came in from the outside and reported to him: "Comrade Commander, the first General Trofimenko, commander of the 27th Army, has arrived!"

"General Trofimenko?" Sokov and Smirnov couldn't help but look at each other after listening to the staff officer's report, confused about the situation in front of them. After a while, Sokov asked Smirnov: "Chief of Staff, why did the commander of the friendly army appear in the city? What is going on?"

"I don't know, Comrade Commander." No matter what happened to Sokov, even Smirnov was equally at a loss: "I haven't received any notification at all, and I don't know what happened to the commander of the friendly army. will appear here."

Seeing that he could not get any useful information from Smirnov, Sokov asked the staff officer of the report: "Where is General Trofimenko now?"

"He and his convoy are just outside the headquarters." The staff officer asked Sokov for instructions, "What should we do?"

"What should I do, what else can I do?" Hearing this question from the staff officer, Sokov was really a little bit dumbfounded: "Hurry up and invite Trofimenko in."

If Sokov had heard that Trofimenko had arrived a month ago, he would have gone out to greet him. But now that he has been promoted to general, there is no reason for a general to welcome a lieutenant general.

Soon, Trofimenko, led by the staff officer, walked into Sokov's headquarters.

He came to stand in front of Sokov, stood at attention, raised his hand and saluted, and said politely: "Hi, General Sokov, I am Lieutenant General Trofimenko, Commander of the 27th Army."

"Hello, General Trofimenko!" Facing the general who took over his position, Sokov showed due courtesy: "Welcome to my headquarters as a guest."

After Trofimenko and Smirnov also shook hands, Sokov asked tentatively: "General Trofimenko, I wonder if you are here at my headquarters today. Is there anything important?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Trofimenko had a puzzled expression on his face: "Why, General Sokov, didn't you receive an order?"

"Orders?" Sokov said with a look of astonishment: "I didn't receive any orders?" After finishing speaking, he said to Smirnov, "Comrade Chief of Staff, immediately contact the Front Army Command to see if they A new operational order has been issued to us."

"Okay, Comrade Commander." Smirnov replied briskly, "I'll call right away."

While Smirnov was on the phone, Sokov said apologetically to Trofimenko: "I'm sorry, General Trofimenko, but we did not receive any orders concerning you. You see, we can send Shall I reveal something useful?"

Although Trofimenko didn't know why Sokov didn't receive the order, but since the other party asked, he still replied truthfully: "Our army was ordered to take over the cities of Hessin and Teplik, and to In the next battle, be responsible for the security of your army's right wing."

Sokov was worried that if he continued to advance westward, his troops would soon become isolated and deep due to the lack of cover on the two wings. Once the German army concentrates its superior forces to implement a two-wing detour, the 53rd Army is in danger of falling into an encirclement.

But judging from the situation in the past two days, Konev has already arranged countermeasures. Now the left wing is Koroteyev's 52nd Army, and the right wing is Trofimenko's 27th Army. With friendly forces covering the two wings, even if the enemy launches a counterattack, as long as the troops deployed in the front are more aggressive, the enemy will be unable to deal with it. Your own main force poses no threat.

"General Trofimenko," since the occupied area is going to be handed over to friendly forces, Sokov must want to find out the direction of the opponent's next move so that he can formulate combat missions: "I want to ask, what is your next step?" Where is the direction of action?"

"Here," Trofimenko glanced at the map that Sokov pushed in front of him, pointed to the west of Haixin and said, "According to the instructions of the Front Army Command, after our group army takes over part of your defense area, continue to Push westward and capture Nemirov on the move."

Sokov's eyes only stayed at Nemirov's position for a moment, and then he saw Vinnitsa at the top, and asked tentatively: "General Trofimenko, is it possible that the mission of your army group is to seize the Vinnitsa? Nizza?"

"That's right." Nemirov is in the south of Vinnytsia, and the two cities are only twenty kilometers apart. Anyone can understand the significance of capturing Nemirov, so Trofimenko is not interested in claiming Kov concealed: "The task of our army group is to launch an attack from the south of Vinnytsia and cooperate with the comrades of the First Front Army to seize the city."

"With Vinnytsia captured, the First and Second Front Army units can form a complete line of defense." Sukov felt that taking Vinnytsia was a matter of course. If the Germans always occupy here, then in the Zhytomir's troops did not dare to recommend to the west easily, otherwise their left flank would be vulnerable to attacks from the direction of Vinnytsia. "At that time, we will be free to choose where and when to launch a new attack on the enemy."

"That's right, it's true." Sokov can see the situation, and Trofimenko can naturally see it: "As long as Vinnytsia is liberated, the friendly forces stagnated in Zhytomyr can continue to attack. Push west."

The two were chatting when Smirnov came back and whispered to Sokov, "Comrade Commander, I called General Zakharov and he said that Marshal Konev had indeed made a decision. Let us hand over all the cities on the right wing to the 27th Army. But unexpectedly, General Trofimenko came so quickly, even faster than their notice."

Sokov did not foolishly ask Trofimenko why you came so soon. He knew very well in his heart that Trofimenko must have arrived near his defense zone long ago, so as soon as he received the order from the front army headquarters, he knew to rush over with the guards to take over the defense without even waiting for his own troops.

"General Trofimenko," Sokov asked deliberately, "Since you are here to take over the defense, I will hand over the city to you now, and then withdraw with the troops."

"No hurry, no hurry." Trofimenko waved his hands as expected and said, "My troops are still on the way. Even if you hand over the defense zone to me at this moment, I have no troops to receive it. If the Germans take advantage of our troops Leaving the defenses empty, launching a surprise attack, I fear the city will fall back into German hands."

"General Trofimenko, since your troops have not arrived yet, our relocation work will be temporarily postponed." After Sokov said this to Trofimenko, he ordered Smirnov : "Call Lieutenant Colonel Pornegelin and ask him to come to the headquarters immediately."

After receiving the call, Bonejelin didn't dare to neglect, and trotted to the headquarters. After raising his hand to salute Sokov, he asked bluntly, "Comrade Commander, what instructions do you have?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Ponedelin," Sokov said solemnly to Ponedelin in front of Trofimenko, "the headquarters will soon be transferred to the right bank of the South Bug River, your 41st Guards The division stays here and waits for the main forces of the 27th Army to arrive, and hand over the defense of the city to them. Do you understand?"

Although the sudden handover of the defense surprised Pornegerin, his long military career had allowed him to develop a good habit of obedience. He quickly agreed, "Understood, Comrade Commander."

Not only Hessing had to be handed over to the 27th Army, but even Japlik in the south also needed to be handed over. Before Sokov called Afunin, he specifically asked Trofimenko: "Comrade General, I don't know when you will be able to arrive for the troops that will take over Jaiplik's defense, so that I can arrange a change of defense."

"Even if they hurry up, I think it will take three hours at the fastest."

As for the time mentioned by Trofimenko, Sokov silently multiplied it by two in his heart, thinking that arriving within six hours would already be regarded as extremely fast. But he didn't tell the truth, but politely said to Trofimenko: "I will inform Teplik's troops and wait until your defense troops arrive before withdrawing from the city."

Seeing that Trofimenko agreed, Sokov picked up the phone and connected to Afunin's headquarters, and said bluntly: "General Afunin, the friendly forces will be stationed in Teplik in a few hours. Take over the defense in his hands."

"Friendly army to take over the defense?" After hearing this, Afunin asked in surprise: "After the defense is handed over, where should our army go?"

"After your army has crossed the South Bug River, you can go to Tulchin and station there." Sokov said into the microphone: "General Afunin, you can divide the army into two parts. One part stays in the In the city, we waited for friendly troops to take over Japlick's defense, while the other part took the time to cross the river and try to be celebrated by the Japanese army."

"Comrade Commander, I would like to ask." Afunin recalled that Kurishenko, the commander of the 41st Guards Division, was sent directly to his army headquarters by Sokov after he was dismissed, and wanted to find out what happened. If something happened, he tentatively asked, "What mistake did General Kurishenko make? Why did he suddenly dismiss him as division commander?"

Sokov felt that the battle was in full swing. If the real reason for Kurishenko's dismissal was revealed, it might affect the morale of the troops. In order to avoid this situation, he said impatiently: "General Afunin, let me remind you that it is the army commanding the army, not the army commanding the army command, understand?"

"clear."

"Now that you understand, then according to my troops, quickly assemble the troops and prepare for the transfer."

"General Trofimenko," Sokov said politely to Trofimenko after putting down the phone, "I have already spoken to General Afunin who is stationed in Teplik, as long as your As soon as the troops arrive, immediately hand over the defense to them."

"That's wonderful. Thank you, General Sokov."

After the two chatted awkwardly, Sokov remembered that the 27th Army was his old subordinate. In order to find out their current situation, he couldn't help asking curiously: "General Trofimenko, I would like to ask , is your army at full strength now?"

"How is this possible?" Trofimenko shook his head and said, "After I applied to my superiors, I added some soldiers to us. But so far, the division with the largest number of troops has only 80% of the troops; The division has only 60-70% of its troops."

After listening to Sokov, he couldn't help but curse Trofimenko in his heart for being a prodigal. When he handed over the army group, the division with the smallest number had 80% of its troops, and the division with the largest number was even overstaffed. But after being handed over to Trofimenko, the casualties were so heavy in less than half a year.

"Comrade Commander," Smirnov, who supervised the dismantling of communication equipment by the communications soldiers, came over and asked Sokov, "Everything is almost packed. When do you think we are leaving?"

"Since everything is almost packed, let's go now." Before walking out of the headquarters, Sokov held out his hand to Trofimenko and said in a friendly manner: "General Trofimenko, goodbye! Hope We have a chance to meet again.”

Regarding the farewell to Ponegerin, he also specially told the other party: "Lieutenant Colonel Pornegerin, I don't know when the friendly troops will arrive. But you should be ready to fight, lest when the German army comes to attack, Catch you off guard."

"Comrade Commander, don't worry." Ponejielin patted his chest and assured Sokov, "I think every inch of the city will be handed over to friendly troops."