Before Sokov could enter the theater, Konev hurriedly walked out, and they met at the door.
"No need to salute." Sokov saw that the other party was about to salute him, and 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 but be stunned, and then asked: "Comrade Commander, isn't the Deputy Chief of General Staff always with you?"
Sokov sighed softly and said with some helplessness: "Comrade Colonel, shortly after your division headquarters entered the city, he also entered the city with a guard company."
"What? The Deputy Chief of General Staff entered the city with a security company?" Sokov's words shocked Konev: "Comrade Commander, why don't you stop him? You know, there is fighting everywhere in the city.
, it will be troublesome if we 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 reluctantly gave the answer: "I think it's impossible."
"That's right." Sokov continued: "Since you can't stop me from going to the most dangerous places, how can I stop the Deputy Chief of Staff from going to the most dangerous places?"
Konev accidentally saw Koshkin being supported by someone, recognized him as the subordinate who was protecting Sokov, and asked curiously: "Lieutenant Koshkin, why are you injured?"
"On our way here, we encountered infiltrating enemies." Sokov said briefly: "Lieutenant Koshkin was hit by a grenade while fighting with the Germans on their bayonets."
Knowing that Sokov encountered German troops on the way here, Konev was frightened and broke into a cold sweat: "Comrade Commander, are you in any danger?"
Sokov pointed to the helmet above his head with his hand, "The helmet was hit by a German bullet. Fortunately, the opponent's shooting skills were not accurate. If it had been lowered by three centimeters, what you would see now would be my body."
Konev felt his legs tremble unconsciously. He did not expect that before Sokov came to his headquarters, he would encounter the German army on the road and almost lose his life.
"Comrade Commander," Fritzman next to him stepped forward to support Konev and politely said to Sokov, "This is not the place to talk. Let's go to the headquarters."
"Yes, yes," Konev glanced at Fritzman with a grateful look and said smoothly: "Comrade Commander, this is not the place to talk. You'd better go to my headquarters."
Sokov followed Konev and Fritzman. When he passed through the screening room, he saw many wounded people lying in the aisle. Health workers were squatting next to them, treating their wounds. He slowed down and asked the doctor.
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 today, we cannot transport them out for the time being. We can only force them to stay here for a while."
It’s time.”
"Comrade Commander, don't worry." Fritzman replied: "I think under the current situation, the wounded can understand. After all, when we fought in the past, we were unable to evacuate the wounded for four or five days.
This is a common situation." After saying that, Fritzman called a female hygienist and asked her to help Koshkin bandage his wound.
After arriving at Konev's headquarters, Sokov said to Konev: "Comrade Colonel, immediately contact the 8th and 10th regiments to find out whether Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff has gone to them."
"Okay." Konev agreed, then called a staff officer and told him to contact the other two regiments through the radio to see if any of them had seen Shtemenko.
A few minutes later, the staff hurriedly came back and reported: "Comrade Division Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Pinkov, commander of the 8th Regiment, reported that half an hour ago, Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff visited his headquarters and learned about the war.
After seeing the progress, I left."
"Leaved?!" Sokov and Konev asked in unison: "Where did you go?"
"Based on 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 contacted the 10th Airborne Regiment yet?"
Hearing Sokov's question, the staff officer couldn't help but blush, and replied with some embarrassment: "Yes, Comrade Commander. At present, I have only established contact with the 8th Regiment..."
"Why don't you contact the 10th Regiment?" The person speaking this time was Konev, and he asked 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 division commander, I will contact the 10th Regiment immediately."
"Comrade Staff Officer," Sokov was worried that the staff officer would make a mistake while he was busy, so he quickly comforted him and said, "Don't be anxious, take your time, and try not to make any mistakes."
"Yes, Comrade Commander." The staff officer glanced at Sokov with a grateful look, and then walked quickly to the location of the intercom, preparing to contact Lieutenant Colonel Tongjihe's 10th Airborne Regiment.
A few minutes later, the staff officer holding the earphone and microphone turned to Sokov and said: "Comrade Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Tongjihe is online. He wants to talk to you."
Sokov walked over quickly, put the earphones on his head, and said into the microphone: "Is this Lieutenant Colonel Tongjihe? I am Sokov. I want to ask you if you have seen the deputy general.
Comrade Chief of Staff?" After asking this question, Sokov felt particularly uneasy, just like when he was studying and waiting for the teacher to announce his grades.
"I saw it, Comrade Commander." Tongjihe replied loudly: "I saw it."
Tongjihe's reply was like the sound of nature to Sokov. He breathed a little and asked: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, where is the deputy chief of staff?"
"It's like this, Comrade Commander." Tongjihe explained to Sokov: "The deputy chief of staff arrived at the same time as an artillery unit. At the moment, he is outside checking the layout of the artillery positions."
"Pull him back, pull him back immediately." Sokov was worried that Tongjihe would not realize the seriousness of the problem, and said in a serious tone: "The deputy chief of staff has an important task, how can we let him stay in a dangerous place?
?Take him back to your command post immediately and tell him that I have something important to see him for."
"Okay, Comrade Commander." Tongjihe said briefly: "I will ask Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff to come in."
A few minutes later, Shtemenko's familiar voice came from Sokov's earphones: "Hello, Comrade Sokov. Do you have anything to do with me?"
"My Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff, I finally found you." Sokov heard Shtemenko's voice and breathed a sigh of relief: "There are many enemies in the city, and I was worried that you were in danger."
"How could it be possible?" Shtemenko said carelessly: "I have more than a hundred commanders and fighters around me, and there is also an artillery battalion. Moreover, I am operating in an area controlled by our army. What danger can there be?"
"Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff, you can't take it lightly." Seeing that Shtemenko underestimated the enemy, Sokov kindly reminded him: "Although we control a lot of areas, we cannot form an army because we have too few troops.
With a complete defense system, the Germans can penetrate our defense zones."
"I think it's not that coincidental." Shtemenko didn't care at all about Sokov's statement, but continued to say disapprovingly: "Even if German troops infiltrate, I'm afraid the number will not be too many, and our soldiers can easily
Destroy them."
Sokov originally didn't want to talk about his encounter with the German army, but seeing that Shtemenko still looked indifferent, he could only say: "When I just led the team into the city, I encountered two German squads one after another.
There was a fight."
Shtemenko had always believed that there would never be any German troops in the area occupied by the Soviet army, but after listening to Sokov's words, he was shocked: "Comrade Sokov, is this all true?"
"Yes, Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff, what I said is true." Seeing that Shtemenko believed his words, Sokov struck while the iron was hot and said: "My guard company commander, Lieutenant Koshkin,
, in order to protect me, unfortunately he was injured."
At this point, Shtemenko realized the seriousness of the problem, and he asked tentatively: "Is Lieutenant Koshkin's injury okay?"
"He was hit by a stray bullet in the ribs. The health workers are treating his wound now. I think his injury should not be too serious." After Sokov finished talking about this, he immediately added: "Deputy Chief of General Staff
Comrade, your location is very dangerous. For your safety, I suggest you come to the division headquarters immediately."
"Division headquarters?" Shtemenko asked, "Where is it?"
"In a theater in the south of the city." Sokov said this, turning to Konev 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 General Staff,
I'm at the headquarters of the 3rd Airborne Division now. You'd better come here. It's 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 Tongjihe, standing next to Shtemenko, asked tentatively: "Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff, do you need me to send someone to escort you to the division headquarters?"
"No need, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Shtemenko refused Tongjihe's kindness: "You don't have 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 security company with me, and I believe they are fully capable of escorting me to the division headquarters safely."
Since Shtemenko said there was no need to escort him, Tongjihe did not insist on his opinion anymore. He just sent him out of the command post and watched the opponent's troops disappear from sight before returning to his command post to direct the battle.
.
Shtemenko had just walked halfway with his troops when suddenly noisy footsteps came from the street next to him. He thought he had encountered the infiltrating German troops, so he quickly ordered the soldiers to find a place to hide and prepare for battle.
Soon, a troop turned around at the corner of the street. From their clothes, Shtemenko recognized at a glance that these were airborne troops. But he did not get up immediately to say hello to the troops, because the troops that had just entered the city were
When I was in the most nervous state, I suddenly saw a person jumping out from the side of the road, so I probably pulled the trigger immediately.
Shtemenko made a gesture to the captain who was hiding behind a stone, indicating that he would shout to the incoming troops. The captain nodded, and then shouted to the incoming troops: "Hey, stop! Where are you from?"
a part of?"
The sudden sound startled the soldiers who were marching. They dispersed in a hurry, looked for hidden positions on both sides of the street, and prepared for battle.
"Hey~!" Seeing that the troops on the opposite side had dispersed and were ready for battle, the captain continued to shout: "I am from the military guard regiment, which part are you?"
The person on the other side heard the captain's words, but did not immediately choose to believe him. Instead, he asked: "You said you are from the military guard regiment. What can you prove?"
"I really belong to the military guard regiment." The captain had already guessed that the other party would not believe him easily, so he carefully poked out half of his head and continued to shout: "I am responsible for the order of the army commander, General Afuning.
Comrade Commander’s security work.”
Although the commander of the troops on the opposite side did not know whether the military department really sent people to protect Sokov, when he heard the captain shouting this, he also realized that the troops hiding in the front should be friendly troops and not German troops. But for the sake of safety,
, a lieutenant stood out from the opposing army and walked over cautiously.
When the captain saw someone coming from the other party, he stood up from his hiding place, walked around the stone and walked towards the other party.
After the two stood on the road chatting for a while, the captain came back with the lieutenant. After arriving in front of Shtemenko, the captain reported: "Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff, this lieutenant is from the 3rd Airborne Division.
The 9th Regiment, they were ordered to come for reinforcements."
When he learned that reinforcements had arrived, Shtemenko's face showed a smile. He looked at the other party and asked: "Comrade Lieutenant, how many troops have you come?"
The lieutenant glanced at Shtemenko's epaulettes and replied respectfully: "Comrade General, our company is the vanguard of the entire regiment, and the two companies in the battalion are one or two kilometers behind us. In a few minutes at most, they will also
Can enter the city."
Shtemenko pointed in the direction he came from and said to the lieutenant: "Comrade Lieutenant, ahead is the defense area of the 10th Airborne Regiment. Their troops are relatively weak. I think you should go there to set up defenses."
Since it was Shtemenko's order, the lieutenant dared not say anything, so he could only agree, call his troops, and head towards the defense area of the 10th Airborne Regiment.
"Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff," the captain said with a relaxed expression on his face when he knew that reinforcements would continue to enter the city: "After the main force of the army arrives, can we successfully capture Uman?"
Shtemenko personally visited the area occupied by the airborne troops and had some understanding of the battlefield situation. He would not blindly believe that as long as the troops of the 18th Guards Army arrived, he could easily
Capture the city. So he shook his head with a smile and said to the captain: "Comrade Captain, the area of Uman City is not small. If you want to eliminate the defenders in the city and control the entire city, just one army is far.
