According to Sokov's prior assumptions, the German army could only mobilize enough troops for the attack on Luhansk after annihilating the Soviet Sixth Army and Popov's rapid group.
But he soon discovered that his guess was wrong, and it was completely wrong. The German 333rd Infantry Division, which was supposed to besiege Popov's rapid cluster, suddenly appeared near Lugansk. It had just entered the defense zone and had not had time to do so.
The 71st Guards Division, which had established its position, was violently attacked by the Germans.
As the temperature dropped sharply in the past two days, the snow that had begun to melt began to freeze again. Under the cover of artillery fire, the German tanks launched a charge towards the positions of the 210th and 213th Guards Regiments.
After their first attack was repelled, the German army dispatched a large number of aircraft and carried out indiscriminate bombing on the positions of the two Guards regiments, turning the Soviet army with only simple positions into a scorched earth.
When he learned that the north of the city had been attacked, Sokov was also very anxious. He quickly called Sivakov and asked them about the situation there: "Comrade Colonel, how is the situation there?"
"Comrade Division Commander," since artillery shells or bombs fell and exploded near the division headquarters from time to time, Sivakov had to shout into the microphone at the top of his lungs: "The enemy has planes in the sky and tanks and artillery on the ground. They are attacking our division."
The positions are being bombarded indiscriminately. The two regiments currently standing on the front line have suffered more than half of their casualties. Do you think I should put the 219th Guards Regiment as the second echelon into the battle?"
"Don't be anxious, Colonel Sivakov." Hearing that Sivakov was eager to put the reserves into battle, Sokov quickly stopped him, "The enemy is bombing your positions indiscriminately. Send troops to
On the front line, it will only increase unnecessary casualties, so I think we should wait."
After hanging up the phone, Sokov asked Vitkov in confusion: "Chief of Staff, tell me, why did the Germans not attack from the west or southwest, which is easy to attack and difficult to defend, but chose to attack from the west or southwest, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack?
What about the north side?"
"Comrade Commander," Witkov replied: "If the terrain in the north is still as muddy as it was a few days ago, the German army will definitely choose to attack from the west or southwest. But with the sudden drop in temperature in the past two days,
Those muddy places are freezing again, which is conducive to the deployment of their mechanized troops. Moreover, they should know that our army basically has no decent fortifications in the north. As long as it breaks through the defense zone of the 71st Guards Division, it can quickly rush into the city...
…”
After Bely waited for Vitkov to finish speaking, he asked Sokov tentatively: "Misha, why don't I lead the tank brigade to attack from the flank and teach the Germans a lesson?"
Using tank brigades to attack the German flanks, Belly's suggestion immediately won everyone's approval. Sidorin also said excitedly: "The deputy division commander is right, the enemy's attention is now focused on the north, and there is no need to
They will sense that we will attack from their flank."
"The two tank brigades, the artillery division and the rocket launcher battalion promised to us by our superiors have not arrived for a long time." Sokov frowned and said, "Now our entire combat group only has one tank brigade of Colonel Bely. If it is too early,
The land was consumed in the battle, so how should we fight the next battle?"
"Then what should I do?" Vitkov asked.
"Call Colonel Gorishny, commander of the 75th Guards Division, and order him to transfer a regiment of troops to the north of the city." Sokov said to Vitkov: "Once it is discovered that the Germans have broken through the defense line of the 71st Guards Division, they will
We must block it resolutely and never let the enemy rush into the city."
"What about Colonel Sivakov's troops?" Vitkov asked Sokov: "Are we just going to watch them being destroyed by enemy artillery fire?"
"Sending reinforcements at this moment is risking death." Sokov said resolutely: "Call Sivakov immediately and order him to hold the position resolutely at all costs and not to retreat even a step."
After giving this order, he summoned Samoilov and said to him: "Comrade Lieutenant, follow me to the church in the city center. I will continue to direct the battle there."
Samoilov led the guard platoon and escorted Sokov to the church. Sokov climbed up the bell tower of the church, raised his binoculars and looked in the direction of the fiercest fighting. He saw that the German shelling and bombing had ended, but
The defender's position was still shrouded in layers of gunpowder smoke, and the German infantry in the distance was following the tanks, trotting towards the position.
When the enemy was still one or two hundred meters away from the Soviet position, the machine gun firepower on the position opened fire. Some soldiers following the tanks were shot and fell immediately.
When the German tanks saw that the infantry was under attack, they hurriedly stopped, aimed at the firing point and fired. At first, the impact point was still a bit far away from the machine gun firing point, but after firing two rounds, the German tank soldiers found the right direction and blasted away the firing point with one shot.
machine gun.
Seeing that the machine gun fire points on the Soviet position were destroyed, the German tanks continued to move forward, while the infantry got up from the ground and rushed forward with shouts.
If the position being attacked was defended by the 41st Guards Division, at such a distance, it would be time for the anti-tank crew to attack the enemy tanks with rocket launchers. But Sivakov's troops were not equipped with such weapons.
Weapons, facing the approaching German tanks, they could only get close and use anti-tank grenades and Molotov cocktails to blow up the German tanks.
However, since the German tanks were followed by infantry, many anti-tank fighters fell into a hail of enemy bullets as soon as they left their positions. It often took more than twenty soldiers to sacrifice to blow up a German tank.
When Sokov saw this scene, he couldn't help but burst into anger. He quickly grabbed the microphone, connected to the headquarters of the 71st Guards Division, and asked loudly: "Colonel Sivakov, where is your artillery regiment? Why not
Fire the cannon, are you going to keep the shells to lay eggs?"
"Comrade Commander," Sivakov said aggrievedly: "Our artillery regiment is all howitzers and does not have anti-tank guns. It may be difficult to destroy German tanks."
"If artillery can't deal with the enemy's tanks, can't it also deal with their infantry?" Sokov said angrily: "As long as you use artillery fire to destroy the infantry covering the tanks, then the soldiers will never leave the trenches to blow up the German army.
tanks. Do you understand?”
"Understood, Comrade Commander." Sivakov quickly replied: "I immediately ordered the artillery to fire towards the front."
A few minutes later, as the German troops were rushing toward the Soviet position, bright clouds of fire and smoke arose from behind. It was the artillery of the 151st Guards Regiment, which began to bombard the attacking German infantry. The shells fell and exploded in the ranks of the German infantry.
, from time to time blowing up the enemy until their flesh and blood flew everywhere, leaving corpses strewn all over the field.
Although the flying shrapnel rattled the armor plates of the German tanks, they did not pose much of a threat. However, without the cover of infantry, the German tanks soon became the prey of the Soviet anti-tank fighters. With the successive attacks,
Amidst the explosions, the German tanks parked in front of the positions caught fire and emitted billowing smoke amidst the explosions of anti-tank grenades or Molotov cocktails.
When the tank caught fire, none of the tank soldiers inside could stay still. They ordered the hatches to be opened and rushed to escape. But they forgot that their location was only a few hundred meters away from the Soviet position. The tank soldiers who were lucky enough to escape were
Either they were shot to death randomly, or they raised their hands and surrendered to the surrounding Soviet soldiers.
This chapter has been completed!