Before dawn the next day, Sokov was woken up by someone sent by Samyko.
Sokov looked sleepily at the staff officer standing in front of him, and asked impatiently: "Comrade staff officer, what's the matter with the chief of staff sending you here?"
"Comrade Commander," the staff officer Hu Di said respectfully: "The Chief of Staff has just received the telegram from Klementchug and feels that the problem is very serious, so I have asked you to go to the headquarters."
Hearing that there was a problem, Sokov suddenly became sober. He quickly sat up straight and asked: "What's the problem? Is the enemy attacking the landing site?"
"No, Comrade Commander, the enemy has not launched an attack." Seeing Sokov's excitement, the staff officer quickly explained to him: "It seems that General Fomenko discovered a weak point in the German army's defense and planned to launch an attack from there.
"
"What, General Fomenko is planning to attack?" Sokov heard what his staff said. Not only was he not happy, but he began to worry. Even if he deployed the entire army group at the landing site, would he be able to crush the German army?
It is very problematic to expand the landing field while attacking. Now Fomenko only has one division in hand, and he actually wants to take the initiative to attack the German army. Who gave him the confidence? Liang Jingru?
Sokov did not dare to neglect, and while bending to put on his boots, he asked the staff: "Did General Fomenko mention in the telegram when they plan to launch an attack on the German army?"
"General Fomenko plans to launch an attack on the area at nine o'clock in the morning."
Sokov raised his hand and looked at the time. It was six o'clock in the morning, and he still had enough time to figure out what happened.
He followed the staff officer to the headquarters in a hurry. After entering, he walked directly to Samek who was standing at the table looking at a map and asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what happened?"
Hearing Sokov's voice, Samyko quickly stood up straight and reported to him: "Comrade Commander, ten minutes ago, I received a telegram from General Fomenko saying that a German defensive line was discovered.
Weak areas, he plans to attack there and expand the area of the landing site."
Sokov came to Samyko's side, looked at the map on the table, and asked casually: "Where is the breakthrough chosen by General Fomenko?"
"Here." Samyko pointed to a place southwest of the landing site and said to Sokov: "It's right here - Svetlovodsk District. If our army can occupy this place, the Ukrainian Great Plains will be in front of us.
, is very conducive to the deployment of tank troops, and we can concentrate our superior forces and continue to rush into the depth of the German defense."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov asked noncommittally: "Do you think General Fomenko's troops can break through the German defenses in this area?"
"According to convention, the German army will definitely arrange heavy defense in such an important area." Samyko stared at the map and said thoughtfully: "According to the reconnaissance information provided by General Fomenko, Sweat
There is actually only one German infantry battalion here in the Lovodsk District, and more than twenty old Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks."
When Sokov heard this, he couldn't help being stunned and asked: "Is the German army's defense really so weak?"
"Comrade Commander, I was skeptical about this, so I sent a staff officer to find you." Samyko explained to Sokov: "But before you come, I will give General Fomenko
Sent a telegram asking whether the information he provided was true."
"How did he reply to you?"
Samyko handed over the telegram he had just received and said to Sokov: "I just received a reply from General Fomenko. He said that the reconnaissance team he sent was the most capable and reliable one under his command.
Yes, the reconnaissance information they provide is completely trustworthy."
"Then what do you think?"
"Comrade Commander, the train our third echelon took arrived at Klemenkoug an hour ago." Samyko happily reported to Sokov: "I think it can be sent by the third echelon.
Taking over the defense zone of the 84th Division allows General Fomenko to devote himself wholeheartedly to directing the troops to attack the Svetlovodsk District."
Sokov did not speak, but took the telegram from Samyko's hand and read it carefully. The contents of the telegram were completely consistent with what Fomenko said, but there was a trace of uncertainty in Sokov's heart.
The feeling. But he couldn't tell what was wrong.
"Comrade Commander," Samyko said anxiously when Sokov did not speak, "General Fomenko is now ready and waiting for your order."
"Only infantry for the attack?"
"Of course it's not just the infantry that attacks." Sameko replied: "Cooperating with their attack are the tank regiments that arrived earlier. As for the artillery, their divisional artillery regiments are enough to provide artillery support for the attacking troops."
Sokov raised his head and looked at Sameko: "Didn't he say that he is planning to attack at nine o'clock? Why do he still need our permission?"
"The nine o'clock attack is the time set by General Fomenko himself." Samyko explained: "But the specific time to launch the attack must be approved by us. After all, in the later stages of the battle, we may need support from friendly forces.
, which requires our help.”
"Okay." Although Sokov felt a little uneasy in his heart, it would be a pity not to take advantage of such a good opportunity, so he agreed to Samyko's proposal: "Call General Fomenko back.
Just say that we agree with him to launch an attack on the Svetlovodsk district at nine o'clock in the morning."
Just when Samyko was about to send a telegram, Sokov stopped him again and warned: "Tell General Fomenko in the telegram that if there is anything wrong, inform us in time."
"What's wrong?" Samyko asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, do you think there are too few German troops stationed in the Svetlovodsk district, and this seems a bit wrong?"
"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff." Regarding Samyko's doubts, Sokov gave a positive answer: "You know, our landing sites on the right bank of the Dnieper River are all in forest areas, which is very unfavorable for the deployment of tank troops.
Only by capturing the Svetlovodsk district can we effectively expand the area of the landing site. We can think of this problem, and the Germans should also be able to think of it. They have no reason to deploy such weak defenders there."
"Perhaps the enemy did not expect that we would move so quickly. They dared to bypass the city before Poltava was liberated, pounced directly on Kremenchug, and captured this city on the bank of the Dnieper River.
Border cities.”
Hearing what Samyko said, Sokov's thoughts were a little shaken. He waved to Samyko: "Okay, don't waste time, go and send the telegram."
After Samek left, Sokov sat at the table, holding his head with his hands, thinking hard: What went wrong, and why did he feel uneasy in his heart? Even though he had already agreed with Fu
It was time for Menko to launch an attack, but until he figured out the problem, he still felt uneasy.
Samyko came back after sending the telegram and continued to report to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the train will return from Kremenchug before noon, and then we can start transporting new troops."
"We now have three divisions in Kremenchug," Sokov interrupted Samyko: "But there is a serious lack of heavy weapons. What I mean is that after this train returns, priority will be given to transporting tanks and artillery.
In the past, it was used to enhance the troops’ ability to attack difficult situations.”
Although the landing site now established on the right bank of the Dnieper River is basically forest and swamp, it is difficult to deploy a large-scale tank force. However, if the infantry attacks without the support of tanks, it will not work, so it is necessary to transport a batch of tanks there first.
, strengthen the strength of the defenders.
"I understand, Comrade Commander." Samyko waited for Sokov to finish, then nodded and said, "I will contact General Polubyarov and ask him to send the most elite tank brigade to board the landing first.
car."
Everything you just did is done, and all that's left is to wait quietly.
There was still an hour before the attack started, and the communications staff sent a telegram to Sokov and Samyko.
Samyko took the telegram and glanced at the signature below, with an expression of astonishment on his face. He said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the telegram is from the deputy commander of the 84th Infantry Division and the commander of the 258th Regiment."
Sent by Colonel Erkin."
After learning that the telegram was from his old partner, Sokov immediately realized that something was wrong and quickly told Samyko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, take a look quickly. What did he say in the telegram?"
After Samyko quickly read the contents of the telegram, his face suddenly turned livid. He raised his head and said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, if the intelligence reported by Colonel Belkin is true, then we may have fallen into the trap of the Germans."
The trap.”
"A German trap?" Sokov asked in surprise: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what on earth is going on?"
Samyko handed the telegram in his hand to Sokov: "According to Colonel Belkin's report, the enemy's garrison in the Svetlovodsk district is not an infantry battalion and more than twenty old tanks.
Instead, there are two infantry regiments and more than 80 Panther tanks. If the Fomenko Division really launches an attack on the Svetlovodsk District, it will probably pay huge casualties."
"Hell, this is really hell." After reading the telegram, Sokov threw it on the table and said with some laughter: "Colonel Belkin also emphasized that the small team that provides reconnaissance intelligence is the most elite and loyal of the division.
At the highest level, the intelligence they provide is completely actionable."
"General Fomenko also said this," Samyko frowned: "What is going on? Are Fomenko and Belkin talking about the same reconnaissance team? The intelligence they obtained,
How could there be such a big deviation?”
"Send a telegram to Fomenko and Belkin immediately." Sokov told Samyko: "We must find out what happened in the shortest possible time. Why did two completely different pieces of information appear?
"
"Okay, I'll send a telegram to Fomenko and Belkin immediately to find out what's going on."
Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch. There were only more than fifty minutes left before the attack started. It took ten or twenty minutes for telegrams to come and go. It was easy to delay things. He had to think of other ways to figure it out as soon as possible.
The situation of the defenders in the Vetlovodsk District. Thinking of this, he called the director of the communications corps and asked him to help him get through to the front army headquarters.
Hearing Zakharov's voice coming from the receiver, Sokov quickly asked: "Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, is the commander at the headquarters?"
"Yes, Comrade Sokov, he is at the headquarters." Zakharov looked at Konev sitting next to him and asked tentatively: "Do I need to let him answer the phone?"
"Of course, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army." Sokov was eager to get Konev's help and said very quickly: "I have an important situation that I need to report to him immediately."
"What's the matter, Comrade Sokov?" Konev thought that Sokov called him because of the matter of Ponedelin and others, so he deliberately pretended to say: "If you want to ask Ponedelin and others
Their whereabouts, I can only regretfully tell you that they have been sent to Moscow and are probably being detained in Lubyanka at the moment..."
"Comrade Commander of the Front Army," Sokov has no intention of caring about Ponedelin and others at the moment. He is eager to understand the deployment of the German army in the Svetlovodsk District in order to decide whether to launch an attack as planned: "
I have something urgent to ask for your help."
Konev was surprised to hear what Sokov said. He said casually: "What's the matter? Tell me!"
Sokov quickly reported to Konev in detail the preparations of the Fomenko Division to launch an attack on the Svetlovodsk district, and finally said: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, now we have two weapons in our hands.
This is completely different information. Due to time constraints, we are unable to send people to the area to verify. We can only ask you to send a reconnaissance plane to the right bank of the Dnieper River to conduct reconnaissance and find out the enemy's defense situation."
Konev took Sokov's request seriously and quickly said to him: "Comrade Sokov, don't worry, I will immediately call the commander of the Air Force and ask him to dispatch the air force to the Svetlovodsk district.
Go up to the sky and figure out the German defense situation."
"Then when will there be an answer?" Sokov asked anxiously: "You know, in more than fifty minutes, the Fomenko Division will launch an attack on the Svetlovodsk District. If the German army is in
There are really heavy troops in this area, and not only will their attack fail, they will even pay a heavy price."
"Don't worry, Comrade Sokov." Konev comforted Sokov and said, "The air force will be able to provide us with accurate information in forty minutes at most. You have enough time to decide whether the attack needs to continue."
"Then please, Comrade Commander of the Front Army."
As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he saw Samyko walking towards him and quickly asked: "Have all the telegrams to Fomenko and Belkin been sent?"
"Yes, everything has been sent." Samyko said, handed over a telegram in his hand, and said to Sokov: "Our telegraph operator has not had time to send a telegram to Colonel Belkin. He first
A telegram was sent over with a detailed introduction to the authenticity of the reconnaissance intelligence."
Sokov grabbed the telegram and quickly read its contents. After reading it, he couldn't help but gasped, and then said to Samyko who was standing next to him: "Chief of Staff, it seems that this is a conspiracy. Immediately
Inform General Fomenko that the attack originally scheduled to be launched at nine o'clock is suspended and when it will start again, and let him wait for further orders from us."