Sokov's idea was very simple. Before the Yagotin area was completely lost, he should take in as many scattered troops as possible to strengthen his own strength and prepare for the next breakout battle. But the plan could not keep up with the changes, because
The German offensive was fierce, and many areas
After being lost one after another, the small troops escaping from Kiev had to bypass Yagotin and evacuate to a safe area. At the same time, as the losses of the forward troops increased, Colonel Derr transferred a large number of personnel from Sokov's special company.
Go and replenish the front lines to strengthen the defenses there.
Seeing that the special company, which had originally increased by five to six hundred people, had shrunk to forty or fifty people in an instant, Major Mira's face turned livid. After returning to the tent at the edge of the forest, he faced Soko with a stern face.
The husband said: "Comrade Captain, we have worked hard for so many days and finally expanded the army to five or six hundred people. However, with an order from our superiors, all our people were removed."
Although Sokov was unwilling to do so, considering that more people were needed to fight at the frontier, no matter how emotional he was, he could only choose to obey the orders of his superiors. At this moment, seeing Major Mira complaining, he could only comfort him and said:
"Major, since it's an order from a superior, we can only obey it. Besides, we really need manpower on the front line now. We don't have the soldiers anymore, so we can just recruit more."
"Comrade Captain, if only things were as simple as you think." Mira said with a grimace: "Our defense area has been shrinking little by little under the enemy's continuous attacks. Even now, there are still commanders and fighters who have escaped from Kiev.
, I’m afraid they won’t be able to pass through the German defense lines and safely evacuate to us. Even if we want to contain the defeated troops, it will not be easy.”
Sokov did not speak, but he was thinking in his mind that the Yagotin area would be completely lost in two days. It was simply a fool's errand to break out with the few troops he had.
When I was feeling worried, someone opened the curtain from the outside, and then Second Lieutenant Zhu Kewen broke in: "Comrade Captain, Comrade Captain."
Sokov turned to face Zhu Kewen, saw the joy on his face, and asked tentatively: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, what can I do?"
"Comrade Captain, guess who is here?"
"Who is coming?" Sokov muttered to himself. Since the small city Yagotin where he was yesterday was subjected to crazy bombing and violent shelling by the enemy, the headquarters withdrew from the city and set up camp in the forest on the outskirts. At this moment
The only people who can come to him are Vlasov and the other three army chiefs. Colonel Del has just left not long ago and will definitely not come again. The only people who can come are Vlasov or Military Commissar Niko.
Erski: "Who is it? The commander or the military commissar?"
Unexpectedly, after Zhu Kewen heard this, he shook his head and said, "It's not them, it's someone else."
After hearing this, Sokov said impatiently: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, tell me directly who is here? I am in a bad mood right now and I have no intention of playing guessing games with you."
"Yes, Comrade Second Lieutenant." Major Mira also said beside him: "Hurry up and tell us who is here."
Zhu Kewen turned around and faced outside the tent and said, "Come in, Comrade Second Lieutenant."
The next moment, a second lieutenant officer who was not wearing a military cap, had a bandage on his head, and his face was blackened by gunpowder smoke, walked in quickly from outside.
"Second Lieutenant," Mira looked at the person who walked in and asked with some confusion: "Who are you?"
"Second Lieutenant Constantine," before the other party could answer, Sokov, who was beside Mira, had already taken a few steps forward, grabbed the second lieutenant's arm, and said with some excitement: "It's you, Second Lieutenant Constantine, are you still alive?
"
"Yes, Comrade Second Lieutenant, I am still alive."
The person who spoke was none other than Second Lieutenant Konstantin, who led people to block the German army outside the headquarters a few days ago. After Sokov took Vlasov and others to transfer, he thought he had been sacrificed, but he did not expect that he was alive now.
Standing in front of him. Seeing the dead people actually standing in front of him alive, Sokov couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed: "Weren't you surrounded by Germans? How did you break out in the end?"
"Comrade Captain, not long after you left, the Germans shelled our position. Unfortunately, I was stunned by the shells. When I woke up, I found myself lying in a pile of corpses." Constantine said: "I secretly came from
I climbed out of the pile of dead people and hid in a nearby building without Germans. I guessed that you must have crossed the Dnieper River, so I also tried to get as close as possible to the Dnieper River to see if I could find a boat to cross the river.
During my stay in the city, I joined other combat groups. Since our number was too small, we did not have much advantage in street fighting. In the end, these combat groups were either broken up or were completely defeated by the Germans.
Annihilated. Fortunately, I was lucky and escaped every time..."
Although Constantine was standing in front of him, Sokov still felt a cold sweat for him when he heard him talk about the battles he experienced in Kiev.
After finally waiting for the other party to finish his story, Mira asked: "How is the city now?"
Constantine did not speak, but turned to look at Sokov, trying to find out the identity of Major Mira first: "This is Major Mira, the commander we met in Berezan, and now he is
The deputy commander of our special company."
When he learned that the major in front of him, who was two ranks higher than Sokov, was actually Sokov's deputy, Constantine couldn't help showing a surprised expression on his face. But he soon regained his composure and reported to the other party:
: "Reporting to Comrade Major, the surviving combat groups in the city are still fighting tenaciously. Yesterday, some soldiers from the internal affairs troops blew up several buildings on Khleschatyk Street, where the occupation area affairs were held
German officers of the bureau who were killed in the attack."
Hearing this, Sokov couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. He remembered that the attack Constantine mentioned occurred on September 24, 1941. After the internal affairs troops completed the attack here, they continued to carry out destruction nearby.
As a result of the operation, explosions and fires continued in the following days. Kiev citizens kept pouring water on the roofs of their homes to avoid being affected by the fire. No one went to put out the fire, which lasted for four days and nights.
The German army used these incidents as an excuse to begin a brutal purge of the Jews in Kiev. On September 28, 1941, 2,000 notices were posted in the city of Kiev, asking local Jews to gather in Melnyk on September 29, 1941.
husband street
They gathered at the intersection of Degtyaryovskaya Street and Degtyaryovskaya Street to facilitate the implementation of the "relocation plan" by the German army. The next day, tens of thousands of people arrived at the designated location to gather. They were asked to walk from Melnikov Street to the outskirts of Kiev
, the Babi Yar Gorge guarded by German troops.
When approaching the canyon, all men, women and children were asked to take off their clothes and fold them, and place their valuables in categories. Then, they were divided into several teams and entered the canyon. The German army massacred them with machine guns. Only in September 1941
On the 29th and 30th, 33,771 Jews were brutally murdered.
Although Sokov knew about these upcoming tragedies, he was powerless. After all, Yagotin's fall was imminent. Whether he could escape from the German encirclement was still unknown. How could he still have the strength to save others?
"Comrade Captain," Mira waited for Constantine to finish, then turned to look at Sokov and asked: "Do you think we need to report this matter to the commander and the others?"
"There's no need." Sokov shook his head and said, "Even if Comrade Commander knew about this, what's the use? It's difficult for us to even defend Yagotin with our existing strength. Where can we find the extra strength to support it?"
Those fighting groups in the city."
"Comrade Captain, can we hold on to this place?" Constantine asked.
Sokov did not speak, but walked out of the tent directly, walked around the tent, and when he saw that no one was outside, he returned to the tent and said to the three people: "According to my analysis, at most it will be another day or two."
Days later, the Germans will be able to completely occupy this area. The question we have to consider now is not whether we can hold Yagotin, but whether we can escape the German encirclement."
"Comrade Captain, do you mean that we will launch a breakout operation soon?" Major Mira asked cautiously.
"That's right." Sokov clicked and continued: "Although we only have forty or fifty people left now, it may not be a bad thing. With fewer people, the target is smaller. If we want to break out, we may not be able to escape from the German encirclement.
The probability is higher.”
When Zhu Kewen heard what Sokov said, the expression on his face became complicated. After thinking for a long time, he said: "Comrade Captain, I will go to check the ammunition and supplies of the soldiers now, and prepare a breakout in advance."
Prepare."
Sokov nodded and told the other party: "Second Lieutenant Zhu Kewen, don't tell everyone that we are about to launch a breakout operation, so as not to cause unnecessary panic. If anyone asks, just say that we will do a good job at any time.
Prepare for battle."
"I understand, Comrade Captain." Zhu Kewen nodded: "I will convey your thoughts to everyone."
At the same time, Vlasov in the headquarters received a telegram from the Supreme Command.
The telegram said: Since the main members of the Southwest Front Army Headquarters were killed in action, the 40th, 21st and 38th Group Armies to which this unit belonged were placed under the command of Timoshenko starting from September 27, and were moved from the Desna River to
The line along the Dnieper River withdrew to Belopoliye,
Krasnograd reorganizes its defenses on the front line to cover the Kharkiv Industrial Zone. The 6th Army, which was transferred to the Southwest Front, and the 12th, 18th, and 9th Groups of the Southern Front, operate from Krasnograd to the Sea of Azov.
Establish a frontline defense to cover the direction of Donbass.
After reading the telegram, Colonel Derr frowned and asked Vlasov: "Comrade Commander, why is it that our army group was not mentioned at all in the telegram from the Supreme Command?"
Vlasov stared at the telegram and sighed and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, perhaps in the minds of the Supreme Command, our army group has been annihilated by the Germans."
"How is this possible?" Colonel Derr pointed to the telegram and said: "If the high command believes that we have been annihilated by the Germans, then why did it send us this telegram?"
Vlasov held his chin and thought for a moment, then asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, how many combat troops do we have so far?"
"Although we have more than a dozen regiment-level unit numbers under our name, the actual total strength is less than 2,000 people." Colonel Del also reminded Vlasov: "500 of the commanders and fighters are Sokov
The captain has taken in the broken troops in the past two days."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, this is what I think about it." After weighing the interests, Vlasov said to Colonel Del: "We will stay in the Yagotin area for one more day, and then we will start to move towards Belopoli in an orderly manner tomorrow.
We retreated, reunited with friendly forces there, and then established new defenses."
After hearing what Vlasov said, Colonel Del quickly reminded: "Comrade Commander, we abandoned the Yagotin area without receiving the withdrawal order from the Supreme Command. If the superiors hold us accountable, you and I will both be punished.
Sent to military court."
Faced with Colonel Del's reminder, Vlasov shook his head and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you think that if we continue to hold on to this area, we can block the German attack? If we continue to fight, what awaits us will be
The fate of the entire army being annihilated."
Vlasov's words made Colonel Del take a breath. As the chief of staff of the group army, he knew that the other party was not being alarmist. The area controlled by the Yagotin area now is only two kilometers long and one kilometer wide, and the troops'
Ammunition is scarce and there are no heavy weapons. If we continue to fight, it will be annihilated by the Germans sooner or later.
Although he knew that if he continued to fight, he would either die in battle or be captured, but he still did not dare to agree to Vlasov's proposal casually. He could only bite the bullet and ask: "What should we do if our superiors hold us accountable?"
"Chief of Staff, don't worry." Vlasov said carelessly: "If the superiors want to investigate this matter, I will bear all the responsibilities."
"Okay." Since Vlasov was willing to endorse, Colonel Del naturally wanted it, so he nodded and said, "I will immediately convene a meeting with the commanders to convey your order to them."
"Tell them that today and tomorrow will be the last battle of our 37th Group Army. We must fight bravely and tenaciously to prevent the Germans from discovering our intention to retreat."
Colonel Del nodded, and then called a few communications soldiers and asked them to inform the officers in charge of the operation to come to the headquarters to attend an impromptu military meeting.
Vlasov tapped his fingers lightly and pondered, thinking in his mind where he should choose as the direction for the troops to break out.
"Comrade Commander," after Colonel Del sent out the communications troops, he turned around and saw Vlasov staring at the map in a daze. He quickly came over and asked: "It's almost two hundred kilometers from here to Belopoliye. If there is no transportation,
Tools, even if we use forced march, I'm afraid it will take four or five days to reach our destination."
"Chief of Staff," Vlasov looked up at Colonel Del and asked cautiously: "Whose hands is the train station on the eastern outskirts of the city now?"
"Of course it's in our hands. The enemy has launched seven attacks on the station, but they were all repelled by the troops who stood there." After Colonel Del answered Vlasov's question, he suddenly realized that the other party was asking this question.
The purpose of the question was to ask in surprise: "Comrade Commander, do you plan to let our soldiers evacuate to Belopoliye by train?"