When the commanders and fighters on the battlefield lost contact with Zina, they thought she had died.
So this news was reported to Sokov step by step.
When he learned of Zina's sacrifice, Sokov was so angry that he punched the table and said angrily: "It's all my fault. How could you send female soldiers to such a dangerous place?"
He told Sidorin: "Chief of Staff, tell Lieutenant Colonel Papuchenko that after the battle is over, we must send someone to find Zina's body and bury her properly."
"Understood." After Sidorin agreed, he said into the microphone: "Comrade lieutenant colonel, did you hear what the division commander said? As soon as the battle is over, send people to find Sergeant Zina's body immediately and bring it to him.
She was buried well."
Unexpectedly, less than a quarter of an hour later, Lieutenant Colonel Papuchenko called again. This time he said excitedly on the phone: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I have some good news for you. Zina is fine, she is still alive."
"
"What, Zina is still alive?" Sidorin who answered the phone quickly glanced at Sokov, and seeing that the other party also wanted to find out what was going on, he asked: "Didn't you just say that where she was hiding?
Was it flattened by enemy tank artillery?"
"I made a mistake." Papuchenko reported on the phone: "Zina did not stay with several other snipers, but hid in a bomb crater more than a hundred meters away. Because she was well hidden
, so that none of the soldiers on our position found a trace of her. Just now she leaned out again and killed more than ten or twenty German soldiers, and only then did our soldiers discover that she was still alive."
Knowing that Zina was still alive, Sokov felt happy. Just when he was about to speak, he suddenly thought of a serious problem, so he walked to Sidorin and took the microphone in his hand: "
Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, there is something I want to criticize you for."
"Comrade Commander," Lieutenant Colonel Papuchenko couldn't help but trembled when he heard what Sokov said, and asked quickly: "What's the matter?"
"You just said that when Zina moved her position, your soldiers in the position did not notice it." Sokov said into the microphone: "If it was not Zina who moved the shooting position, but the Germans, what would happen to her?
What kind of damage have you caused? Have you ever thought about this?"
When Papuchenko heard what Sokov said, he suddenly broke into a cold sweat. If there were really German snipers lurking in front of the position, then the other side would be able to kill the commanders on the position calmly. It was the troops who stood firm on the position.
It lost unified command and fell into chaos.
He quickly replied: "Comrade division commander, thank you for reminding me. After this battle is over, I will urge the commanders and soldiers below to strengthen their vigilance and never let the enemy touch the front of our position."
"We'll talk about this after the battle is over." Sokov interrupted the other person's words: "How about it, can your regiment repel the German attack?"
"No problem, comrade division commander." To Sokov's question, Papuchenko confidently replied: "The commanders and fighters of the first battalion fought tenaciously. They have successfully destroyed eight German tanks and killed the commander.
Hundreds of German officers and soldiers. According to my estimation, the battle will be resolved in half an hour at most."
When he saw Sokov put down the phone, Bely asked curiously: "Misha, if it were another division commander, if he heard that there was a war in the west, he would have been unable to sit still in the headquarters and would definitely run to the front in person.
Supervise the battle. But it’s better for you to just sit here and read the battle report, occasionally make phone calls to understand the situation ahead, and you are not nervous at all. What is going on? "
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander," Sokov smiled slightly and replied: "Because the troops fighting in front are the 1st Battalion of the 122nd Regiment commanded by Captain Vasily. Half of the more than 1,000 people in the battalion are from the infantry brigade.
Commander, tell me, why should I worry about my direct troops fighting the enemy? Besides, they still have enough new rockets and rockets in their hands. Let alone a battalion of Germans, even if they come to a regiment
, still don’t try to break through their defense line.”
Seeing Sokov's confidence, Chief of Staff Sidorin also said: "Yes, the original commanders and fighters of the infantry brigade are stronger than other troops in terms of technical and tactical level due to the influence of the division commander. What's more,
The commanders and fighters of this battalion rescued the division commander a few days ago."
There was not much suspense in the battle in the west of the city. Although Sokov did not dispatch a tank brigade or send other regiments to support, he still relied on the existing strength of the 122nd Regiment to repel the German attack. The German army that failed in the attack was left behind.
Picking up eleven burning tanks and armored vehicles, as well as the corpses of nearly two hundred officers and soldiers, they retreated dejectedly toward the west.
After cleaning the battlefield, Papuchenko asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade division commander, while cleaning the battlefield, we collected a batch of German weapons that are still usable. I would like to ask, how should we dispose of them?"
If it were in the past, the captured German weapons would undoubtedly have been used to equip the downsized regiment commanded by Belkin. But now the downsized regiment is no longer there, and the commanders and fighters in the regiment have been dispersed to various regiments. In order to facilitate the supply of the rear, they
All were replaced with Soviet-style equipment. Therefore, after Papuchenko finished cleaning the battlefield, he specifically called Sokov for instructions.
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you immediately send someone to deliver all these weapons to the division headquarters." Now the entire division only has the guard battalion, which is equipped with all German equipment. This batch of captured weapons is naturally for their use: "Give it to the guard battalion.
Major Tenev, let him dispose of these weapons."
"Yes, Comrade Division Commander." Papuchenko quickly replied: "I will immediately send someone to deliver the weapons."
When Sidorin heard Sokov ordering Papuchenko to deliver the weapons to the division headquarters, he quickly picked up a phone next to him. After getting through to the guard camp, he said into the phone: "I am Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin.
, please tell Major Tenev that comrades from the 122nd Regiment will send a batch of German weapons later and ask him to arrange manpower to receive them."
After saying these words, Sidorin did not put down the phone immediately, but turned around and asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, do you have anything else to explain?"
"If Zina comes back, let her come to my place." Sokov said with a smile: "She has made great achievements on the battlefield today, and I think we should express her gratitude."
"Please tell Major Tenev," Sidorin continued into the microphone: "If Zina returns to the guard camp, order her to report to the division headquarters immediately."
Anisimov, who was sitting next to him, heard this and couldn't help but curiously asked: "Comrade Commander, Zina has achieved great results today. Can you tell me how we should commend her?"
"Comrade Political Commissar, it is your job to apply for a commendation order from your superiors." Sokov said with a smile: "I think you should sort out her materials as soon as possible and submit them to the Army Headquarters as soon as possible to apply for commendations and honors for her.
