Red Moscow

Sokov was overjoyed to receive Konev's authorization.

One is that Ponegerin has had the opportunity to express himself, and the other is that he can also pass this battle to test how good Ponegerin's command ability is and whether he is worthy of entrusting him with important tasks.

The battle on the right bank lasted until noon, when Sokov received a call from Ponedelin: "Comrade Commander, we have captured all the positions on the right bank of Transnistria. Except for a few defenders who fled, the remaining They were either killed or captured."

"The results of the battle have been counted?!" Sokov asked eagerly.

"Yes, it has been counted." Pornegelin reported on the phone: "2,319 enemies were killed and 842 were captured. 127 artillery pieces of various calibers, 20 machine guns, more than 2,100 rifles, and supporting equipment were seized. ammunition……"

"Wait a minute, Lieutenant Colonel Ponegerin." Sokov didn't wait for the other party to finish, and interrupted him: "What about the casualties of our army?" The casualties of the divisions, he added deliberately, "The casualties I mentioned refer to the casualties of our three divisions."

"The 98th Guards Division suffered 1,124 casualties, of which more than 300 were sacrificed; the 254th Infantry Division suffered 4,195 casualties, of which more than 1,200 were sacrificed." Ponejielin clearly reported: "My 41st Guards Division suffered 358 casualties, 15 people were sacrificed."

"Why are there so many casualties in the 254th Infantry Division?" Facing such disparity in casualties between the two troops, Sokov inevitably aroused his curiosity.

"Because the division was fighting across the river, most of the casualties were caused by German shelling and machine gun fire while crossing the river." Ponejielin explained to Sukov: "The 98th Guards Division was The attack on the German flank was relatively weaker, so the casualties were much less than those of the 254th Division."

"As for our division, it was because it was the last to enter the battle. When we entered the battlefield through the gap opened by the 98th Guards Division, the battle was already coming to an end, so our division suffered the smallest casualties."

"So that's the case, I understand." Sokov nodded, and continued: "Lieutenant Colonel Ponejielin, your next task should be to hurry up and repair the fortifications, consolidate the occupied areas, and ensure that the German army implements When counterattacking, you can withstand their offense."

"Okay, Comrade Commander." Pornegelin replied, "I will arrange manpower, seize the time to rush to repair the fortifications, and improve the defense system. Don't worry, as long as I am here, the Germans will not be able to reoccupy this place."

"Very good, Lieutenant Colonel Ponegerin." Sukov was very satisfied with Pornegerin's answer, "Then I will hand over the position on the right bank to you."

"Comrade Commander," Ponegerin said worriedly, thinking that all his troops had gone north after crossing the river. Now the right bank position across the river from Otac City is now playing an empty city plan, and he couldn't help but said worriedly: "The original right bank The position, all troops are withdrawn, and if the Germans find that there are no troops there and make a surprise attack, that landing field will be lost."

"Lieutenant Colonel Ponegerin, I have considered the problem you mentioned a long time ago." Sokov said with a smile: "Shortly after your attack, the 3rd Guards Airborne Division was led by the division commander Colonel Konev. Go down, cross the river to the right bank, and take over the positions you vacated. That is to say, when you stick to the position on the right bank, you don't have to worry about the attack from the left wing, because the airborne troops will protect your flank well."

Just after finishing the call here, Major General Afunin walked in from the outside.

Seeing Afunin enter the door, Sokov rushed up to meet him, shook hands with him, and asked with concern: "General Afunin, the 4th Guards Airborne Division, have you arrived in Otac City?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander, the 4th Guards Airborne Division has also entered the designated position." After a brief report to Sokov, Afunin asked: "I want to ask, the 41st Guards Airborne Division When can it be restored?"

Sokov hummed in surprise, and then asked, "General Afunin, why did you suddenly think of the 41st Guards Division?"

"Comrade Commander, there are only three divisions in my army." Afunin said with a wry smile: "If the 41st Guards Division is separated from the establishment for a long time, I can only rely on the 3rd and 4th Guards Airborne Divisions to fight with the enemy. Fighting means that the power has been weakened by one-third."

"General Afunin, I wanted to take the time to talk to you about this." Sokov said to Afunin apologetically, "Since you came first today, I will tell you directly. In the next very long During the period of time, the 41st Guards Division will be separated from the 18th Guards Army, which is your command, and they will have more important combat tasks to perform."

"Okay, Comrade Commander." Hearing what Sokov said, Afunin immediately realized that the division under him might not come back, and felt a little disappointed. In order to resolve the embarrassment, he tentatively asked: "Comrade commander, what is the combat mission of our army?"

Sokov brought Afunin to the table, pointed to the map spread out on it, and said to him: "General Afunin, now we have two landing sites on the right bank of the Transnistria..."

"Two landing sites?" Afunin asked in surprise after hearing this: "Isn't there only one landing site? It's across the river from Otac City, which is where the 3rd Guards Airborne Division is defending."

"General Afunin, your information has long been outdated." Smirnov said with a smile: "Not long ago, three divisions of our army launched an attack on the German position on the right bank of the upper reaches of the Transnistria. Offensive. After several hours of fierce fighting, our army has successfully captured the enemy's river defense position and established a second landing field on the right bank."

"It turned out to be another landing site." Afunin stared at the map for a while, and then said: "In this way, when the troops of the 3rd Guards Airborne Division defend the landing site on the right bank, they don't have to worry about their right wing. will be exposed to the enemy."

"That's right," Sokov said, nodding his head. "We have placed the two troops on the right bank. No matter which army the Germans attack, they will support each other."

Just as the phone here was put down, the phone on the desk rang again.

As soon as Sokov put the microphone to his ear, he heard Zakharov's voice from inside: "Comrade Sokov, I heard that your troops have broken through the German defense line of Transnistria and Successfully established a new landing field on the right bank."

"Then what are you going to do next?" Zakharov asked.

"My main force is still one to three days away from Transnistria," Sokov said, "After all the troops arrive, we will concentrate our superior forces and launch a new attack on the German defense line." .”

"Then can you tell me how long it will take you to complete the regrouping?"

"It will take about three days," Sokov calculated the arrival time of the troops in his mind, and felt that after three days, more troops would arrive in the city of Otac one after another. At that time, there would be enough strength to go to the city. The German defense advanced in depth: "When more troops arrive in the city of Otac, we will have the strength to launch a new round of offensive against the enemy."

"Okay then." If it's another unit, Zakharov must have ordered the commander of the other side in a stern tone to destroy the enemies in front and complete the task assigned by the superior within a certain time limit. But the person talking to him now is Sokov, who is good at creating miracles. If he forces the other party to launch an attack before the enemy within a certain period of time, it may disrupt his original battle plan, so Zakharov thinks Sokov should not be given too much courage, but should be allowed to command operations according to his own ideas: "Marshal Konev has already said that you can command troops to fight according to your own ideas. I hope you can Build more feats."

"Don't worry, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army." Seeing that the Front Army Command had absolute trust in him and fully supported him in continuing to command the battle, Sokov couldn't help feeling a little moved: "I will definitely not disappoint your expectations."

"Also, you have the 52nd Army on your left wing. They have just arrived at the riverside not long ago, and they don't know the enemy's situation on the other side. See if you can send a reconnaissance team to reconnaissance the German positions downstream."

"No problem, I will immediately arrange manpower to go to the area to carry out reconnaissance."

At the end of the conversation with Zakharov, Sokov asked Smirnov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I wonder if General Trofimenko knows that his troops have successfully broken through the direction of the German army in the direction of Transnistria, And established a landing field on the right bank?"

"No, Comrade Commander." Smirnov replied very simply: "Aren't the 98th Guards and the 254th Infantry Division today under the command of the 41st Guards Division of Ponederin? With such considerations in mind, I did not ask them to report the results of the battle to the 27th Army."

When Sokov heard this, he immediately understood one thing. His feeling was that Smirnov felt that the three divisions on the right bank were already independent troops, and there was no need to keep in touch with their superiors. , too late to report to Trofimenko.

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you are wrong to do this." Sokov criticized Smirnov and said: "Although the 254th Infantry Division and the 98th Guards Division are now under the command of the 41st Guards Division of Poneterin .But they are from the 27th Army after all. If there is any battle result, it is best to report it to General Trofimenko in time to avoid any unpleasant things.”

"I'm sorry, Comrade Commander." Hearing what Sokov said, Smirnov immediately realized that he had made a low-level mistake, and quickly apologized to Sokov: "I didn't think carefully, and I will give it to Troo." General Fimenko called and gave him a detailed report on the performance of his subordinates."

Smirnov, who knew his mistake and corrected it, immediately connected the 27th Army Headquarters. The person who answered the phone said bluntly: "Hello, I am General Smirnov, Chief of Staff of the 53rd Army. Please help me find General Trofimenko!"

Trofimenko heard that it was Smirnov calling, and hurriedly stepped forward to take the microphone in the hands of the communications staff officer: "Hello, I'm Trofimenko, is this General Smirnov? "

"Yes, I'm Smirnov." Smirnov said into the microphone: "I have good news for you."

"Good news, what good news?" Trofimenko on the other end of the phone asked tentatively, "Could it be that the two divisions under my command have successfully broken through the German defenses."

"Yes, General Trofimenko, you guessed right." Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Smirnov gave him a huge surprise: "The 98th Guards Division and the 254th Infantry Division Successfully ascended the right bank, drove and eliminated the defenders of the river defense position. Now they are hurrying to repair the fortifications and prepare for a possible German counterattack."

"General Smirnov, I also have a question, I wonder if I can ask it."

"General Trofimenko, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask them without hesitation."

"That's right." Trofimenko said somewhat unconvinced; "I am the commander of the 27th Army Group. Although I was demoted to a deputy position, I am still the main commander. Report to me, but to friendly command?"

Perhaps hearing the sour taste in Trofimenko's tone, Smirnov smiled lightly, and then said: "General Trofimenko, Commander Sokov, in order to better command the troops to fight , the 98th Guards Division and the 254th Infantry Division were temporarily placed under the temporary command of the 41st Guards Division. That is to say, for a long time to come, the troops of these three divisions will fight in groups. And they The results obtained will be reported directly to the cluster command."

Smirnov's words reminded Trofimenko: "Now there is no 27th and 53rd armies, but only a combat group under the command of Commander Sokov."

Perhaps guessing that Trofimenko was preoccupied at the moment, Smirnov comforted him and said: "Don't worry, General Trofimenko, at least you are still the deputy commander of the cluster. Once you find a good fighter, you can still go to the next level." Mobilize the troops in the group and go into battle in time."

After Smirnov made the phone call, he looked at Sokov and shook his head with a wry smile: "Comrade Commander, I think it is absolutely necessary to merge the headquarters of the two armies to form a combat group headquarters. Such a Come on, no matter which unit in the cluster has achieved the result, we will know it as soon as possible."

"Wait a little longer, Comrade Chief of Staff, let's wait a little longer." Sokov said to Smirnov: "The army headquarters of the 27th Army is still about 200 kilometers away from us. How meaningful is it. I think it’s not too late to merge the two army headquarters after they arrive in the city of Otac.”

"Now we have two landing sites on the right bank of the Dniester River. In order to firmly hold these two positions, I think infantry alone is not enough." Sokov said to Smirnov: "I see In each landing field, at least one tank brigade should be placed to deal with German armored assaults."

"This is not a big problem. Now the bridge outside the city of Otac is intact, allowing our tanks and artillery to reach the other side smoothly." Smirnov said to Sokov: "I will call the director of the armored forces now, Let him immediately transfer two tank brigades to the two landing sites on the right bank to strengthen the defense there."