Sokov's command center in Luhansk is much better than Mamayev's hill. However, sitting in the house can enjoy the sunshine and breathe fresh air, you can also listen to sounds from Moscow through the cabinet radio in the corner of the house.
Sokov and Bereh returned from the position and walked into the command center. When Sidolin was listening to the radio. Don’t see the situation outside, it has become extremely unfavorable to the Soviet army, but the radio station is still reporting the victory news some time ago. The announcer told all the listeners in a happy tone that the great Soviet Red Army had continuously broken through the carefully constructed defense line of the German army within a week and successfully advanced into the Donetsk Basin. General Vatujing’s southwestern front troops successfully liberated Zaporoze, a military city located at the corner of the Great Bay of the Dnieper River, and the German Marshal Manstein fled in panic.
"Switch it off, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov couldn't help frowning as he heard the reports from the radio: "If the soldiers hear too much of such outdated news, they will misjudgment the current situation and think that the enemy has become vulnerable, and we will suffer a great loss at that time."
Hearing Sokov's orders, Sidorin did not dare to neglect and quickly went over and turned off the radio. Sokov said again: "The Southwest Front seized Zaporoze and drove Manstein away from the city. This alone would be enough to make General Vatujing famous and become a hero that attracted attention from thousands of people."
Although Bere knew that the increasingly severe situation was related to Vatukin's decision-making mistakes, he couldn't think of any response and asked Sokov curiously: "Misha, what would you do if you were in Vatukin's position?"
"If I were in the position of General Vatujing," Sokov smiled bitterly and said casually: "It will definitely slow down the attack speed. Every time a city is occupied, it will strengthen its defense there and use it as a strong support point. Even if the attack is frustrated and is counterattacked by the German army, it can rely on these cities with a complete defense system to fight step by step to weaken the enemy's vitality."
"Since the destruction of the Paulus Group, an optimistic atmosphere in the whole country has been filled with an atmosphere of optimism, feeling that the Germans have become vulnerable." Berlei, who has been by Sokov for a long time, was not influenced by the reports on the radio. He clearly expressed his attitude: "I wishfully believe that as long as I attack continuously, I can quickly drive the enemy across the Dnieper River. At the latest, this damn war can be ended, and at the worst, I can drive the enemy out of our territory."
The sudden ringing of the phone on the table interrupted the chat of the three of them. Everyone looked at the phone and thought to themselves: Could it be that the Germans attacked us?
Cidolin grabbed the microphone, put it in his ear, and asked loudly: "I am Lieutenant Colonel Cidolin, where are you?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, I am Lieutenant Colonel Papchinko!" Sokov, who was sitting not far away, heard a panic sound from the receiver: "I just received a report that the German vanguard had rushed to the vicinity of our regiment defense zone."
Lieutenant Colonel Papchinko's report surprised Sokov and others.
Sokov hurriedly walked over, took the microphone from Sidolin's hand, and asked with a frown, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I am Sokov. Tell me, what kind of enemy it is?"
"I...I don't know very well, comrade of the division commander." Papuqinko reported in panic: "It was one of my subordinates who called me to report to me and said that the enemy had been found..."
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Sokov interrupted his words anxiously: "Tell me, who reported it to you?"
"It was the company commander of the Third Company of the First Battalion," said Papuchinko. "When he sent soldiers to the forest in front to cut trees, he found the German tanks, perhaps armored vehicles. He thought the situation was very important, so he immediately reported to me..."
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I'll ask you again: What size of enemies are they? How many infantry do they have, and how many tanks or armored vehicles do they have? Please report to me in detail."
"I'm sorry, comrade, I don't know much." Papuqinko said at a loss: "I think the situation is not very good, and I should report it to you in time, so I made the call immediately."
Cidolin next to him said to Bere: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, the enemy suddenly appeared near the 122nd Regiment Defense Zone. Did they notice our intention to disguise our positions and send people to reconnaissance?"
"I don't think so. If it were a reconnaissance force, how could it be that it could be a tank or armored vehicle coming over?" Be Lei shook his head and said, "I think it might be the enemy's vanguard, and their main force is still behind."
Sokov ignored what Bere and Cidolin were saying, but ordered Pupchenko on the other end of the phone: "Lieutenant Colonel, I will give you two orders now: First, immediately order the troops to enter the position and prepare for battle; second, send a powerful reconnaissance team to figure out what the enemy appears near your position is and how large it is." After giving the task, he asked habitually, "Do you understand?"
"I understand, comrade of the division commander." Papuqinko quickly replied: "I will execute your order immediately."
After Sokov put down the phone, Cidolin asked nervously: "Comrade Commander, is the enemy approaching our position at this time? Are they preparing to attack us?"
Bi Lei asked uneasily: "If the enemy launches an attack at this moment, will our plan to use fake tanks and cannons to disguise themselves as fake positions be lost?"
"In my opinion, maybe it's just a lost enemy, and the number of people will not be too many." Sokov felt that the Soviet Sixth Army and Popov quickly gathered and had not been annihilated by the Germans. It was impossible for the Germans to rush to attack Lugansk at this time. Maybe it was just a enemy who accidentally broke into the defense zone. So he comforted the two and said, "No need to make a fuss. There are more than 4,000 people in the 122nd Regiment, and even if they step on them, they will trample on them to death."
Seeing Sokov so confident, Sidolin and Bereh, who were originally nervous, were much more at ease. Now the 41st Guard Division is strong and has more than 15,000 troops. Many of them have participated in the Stalingrad defense battle and have rich combat experience. Not to mention that a small team of the German army came, even if a regiment came, they could handle it.
I thought it would take at least four or five hours to get further information. Unexpectedly, less than half an hour later, Lieutenant Colonel Papuchinko called again and reported to Sokov excitedly: "Comrade Commander, the Germans who appeared near our regiment, have been completely wiped out."
"What, all of them were wiped out?" Sokov was stunned, thinking that your actions were too fast, and he was panicked just now. Not long after, he reported to himself that the enemy had been wiped out: "What the hell is going on?"
"Comrade Commander, this is the situation." Papuchinko hurriedly reported: "A dozen German scouts riding motorcycles first broke into the defense zone of the Third Battalion. Before I could send people to reconnaissance, they arrived near the defense zone of the First Battalion. As a result, they were eliminated by Captain Guchakov's second company."
"I understand." Sokov said to the microphone: "Remember to place more observation posts outside your defense zone so that you can detect sudden enemies in time."
Seeing Sokov put down the phone, Cidolin said with great honor: "Comrade Commander, it seems that you are the old subordinates of your original infantry brigade, which is the most reassuring. Before we could assign tasks, they quietly wiped out the enemy."
Sidolin's words made Sokov realize a problem in the army. Since the reduction regiment was withdrawn, all commanders and fighters were disbanded and organized into three guard regiments. Except for Belkin as the political commissar of the 124th regiment and Vanya as the chief of staff of the 122nd regiment, the other capable commanders were only held at battalion-company positions. With their current level, it is difficult for them to have the opportunity to exert their abilities in the Soviet troops with strict hierarchy.
"Comrade Commander, what are you thinking?" Sidolin couldn't help asking.
Sokov said the questions he had thought of, and then asked back: "Tell me, how to change the current problems."
"Misha, you're right. The original commanders of the reduction regiment are now held too low, which is not conducive to their ability." Bere thought about it and suggested to Sokov: "How about pulling them out again and forming a new guard regiment?"
"This is a solution." Sidolin immediately echoed Bere's proposal: "You know, a guard division is usually composed of three guard infantry regiments, one artillery regiment and several direct troops. We now have only three guard infantry regiments, but no artillery regiments. It is better to draw out the original reduced regiment commanders and fighters in the name of forming an artillery regiment and reorganize them into independent troops."
"This matter is of great importance and you cannot make a decision at will." Sokov felt that if he formed a fourth infantry regiment in the Guard Division in the name of forming an artillery regiment, his superiors would not approve his proposal, so he could only say cautiously: "I will consider it again and think of a solution that has the best of both worlds."
After repeated thinking, Sokov reported to Cui Kov about the formation of the fourth infantry regiment, but was rejected by the other party. Cui Kov said to him in a stern tone: "Col. Sokov, have you ever thought that to form the fourth infantry regiment, you must draw a large number of combat backbones to weaken the combat effectiveness of the other three regiments. On the battlefield, it depends on teamwork. If the original guard regiment is defeated by the enemy, what role can be played even if a new infantry regiment with strong combat power remain?"