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 just received the telegram from Klemenkoug. He feels that the problem is very serious, so let me invite you 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 did not launch 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?" When Sokov heard what his staff said, not only did he not feel happy, but on the contrary, he began to worry. Even if he deploys the entire army group at the landing site, it is very questionable whether he can crush the German attack and expand the landing site at the same time. Now Fomenko only has one division in his hands, 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 intends 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 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 point 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. , which 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 and more than twenty old Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks here in the Lovodsk District.”
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 A telegram was sent asking if 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 of his men. Yes, the reconnaissance information they provide is completely trustworthy."
"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 sector of the 84th Division allowed General Fomenko to devote himself wholeheartedly to directing the troops to attack the Svetlovodsk district.”
Sokov did not speak, but took the telegram from Samek's hand and browsed it carefully. The contents of the telegram were completely consistent with what Fomenko said, but Sokov had an ominous feeling in his heart. 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 was going to attack at nine o'clock? Why did he ask for 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 actually dared to bypass the city before Poltava was liberated, pounced directly on Kremenchug, and captured this city on the bank of the Dnieper River. Cities on the edge.”
Hearing what Samek said, Sokov's thoughts were a little shaken. He waved to Samek: "Okay, don't waste time, go and send the telegram."
After Samek left, Sokov sat at the table, holding his head in his hands, thinking hard: What went wrong, and why did he feel uneasy in his heart? Even though he had agreed to the time for Fomenko to launch the attack, he still felt uneasy until he figured out the problem.
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 Klemenko," 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 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 does not receive the support of tanks when attacking, 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."
All that has been done is done, and all that is 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." From 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 Sameko quickly read the contents of the telegram, his face suddenly turned ashen. 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 a German trap."
"A German trap?" Sokov asked in surprise: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what is going on?" 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 just received the telegram from Klemenkoug. He feels that the problem is very serious, so let me invite you 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 did not launch 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?" When Sokov heard what his staff said, not only did he not feel happy, but on the contrary, he began to worry. Even if he deploys the entire army group at the landing site, it is very questionable whether he can crush the German attack and expand the landing site at the same time. Now Fomenko only has one division in his hands, 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 intends 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 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 point 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. , which 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 and more than twenty old Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks here in the Lovodsk District.”
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 A telegram was sent asking if 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."
"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 sector of the 84th Division allowed General Fomenko to devote himself wholeheartedly to directing the troops to attack the Svetlovodsk district.”
Sokov did not speak, but took the telegram from Samek's hand and browsed it carefully. The contents of the telegram were completely consistent with what Fomenko said, but Sokov had an ominous feeling in his heart. 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."
