Due to the delay in getting accurate information on the battlefield, Sokov naturally felt uneasy. Therefore, he did not hesitate to express his approval of Samyko's proposal: "I think it is okay. Comrade Chief of Staff, please give me the advice immediately." Colonel Koida called and ordered his 188th Division to move forward immediately and prepare to attack the Svetlovodsk district."
Just when Samyko agreed and picked up the phone to give an order to Koida, he heard Sokov continue: "Also, notify Major General Gritsenko of the 384th Division and order his troops to also Be ready to strike.”
"What, let the 384th Division also prepare for an attack?" According to the prior plan, Major General Gritsenko's 384th Division should have stationed in the area to ensure the offensive after the troops occupied the Svetlovodsk District. The security of the troops' flanks and rear now made them ready to fight. This surprised Sameko: "Is this necessary?"
"It is completely necessary." Sokov replied: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly. We must prepare for the worst. Once the 84th Division's attack fails, the 188th Division will not make any progress. , we must put the Gritzen Division into battle to complete our pre-planned battle plan."
"Okay, Comrade Commander." After listening to what Sokov said, Samyko felt that what he said made sense, and nodded, "I will inform Major General Gritsenko to prepare his troops to participate in the war. Prepare."
After Samek gave the order to the two division commanders, he saw Sokov walking back and forth in the headquarters with his hands behind his back. He put down the phone and asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, please see if you contact the Air Force and ask them to Send out bombers to bomb the Svetlovodsk area?”
Samek's suggestion stopped Sokov. This was undoubtedly a good suggestion. Due to the limitation of the shooting angle, even the most powerful artillery fire could not destroy many ground targets, but if bombers were dispatched, it could be solved. these questions. Just when he was about to agree to Sameko's proposal, he suddenly thought of a key issue, sighed softly, and said to Sameko: "Forget it, Chief of Staff, it's useless. Now the company is observing at the forefront. General Fomenko couldn't figure out what was happening on the smoke-filled battlefield. How could the bombers in the sky clearly see the targets in the smoke? If the bombs were dropped, the German fortifications and officers and soldiers would be hit. , that makes sense, but what should we do if it accidentally blows up ourselves?"
While commanders at all levels in the rear were worried about this offensive operation, a battle was going on in the smoke-filled Svetlovodsk district. In the past, when the German troops were under artillery fire, they would immediately retreat to the second line of defense to avoid the Soviet artillery fire. But today the situation was different, they were shelled in their sleep,
Prior reconnaissance confirmed that there were no residents in the Svetlovodsk district, and most of the houses were occupied by German officers and soldiers stationed here. Therefore, after the Soviet artillery bombardment began, they launched an indiscriminate attack here.
Since the two artillery divisions participating in the artillery bombardment have obtained accurate shooting parameters, during the shooting process, the artillery observers at the 103.9 heights still need to provide them with corrected data so that the artillery units can accurately hit the target. Among them, the German command headquarters, tanks, armored vehicles and military truck parking spots are the objects of focus.
Under this wave of artillery fire, most of the Svetlovodsk district suffered saturated shelling, and countless German officers and soldiers were blown to pieces in their sleep.
The first to rush into the German defense area were the commanders and fighters of the 258th Regiment. They searched the streets filled with gunpowder smoke. Along the way, they only saw countless bomb craters, mutilated bodies next to the craters, and exploded artillery and machine gun parts. Not a single one could be seen at all. living person.
The battalion commander leading the team immediately reported the situation to the regiment leader, Colonel Belkin: "Comrade commander, our battalion has entered the town, and so far, no living person has been found."
Belkin is a relatively steady person. After listening to the report of the first battalion commander, he thought for a moment, and then ordered: "Continue to search the town. If there is any latest situation, report to me immediately."
After Belkin finished his call with the First Battalion, the regiment chief of staff standing aside asked tentatively: "Comrade regiment leader, do you need to report this situation to the division headquarters?"
"There is no rush at the moment." Belkin shook his head and rejected the chief of staff's proposal: "We still don't know what the situation is in the town. If we report it rashly, we may cause misjudgment by our superiors."
Hearing what Belkin said, the regiment chief of staff could only choose to obey: "Okay, comrade regiment leader, we will report to the superiors after the first battalion has a new report."
The first battalion searched the town, and the second and third battalions also entered the town one after another, but they found no trace of the enemy. Soon, Colonel Rusuf's 254th Regiment also arrived outside the town.
Seeing the commander of the 258th Regiment staying here, Rusuf quickly came over to greet Belkin: "Colonel Belkin, I wonder how the situation is in the town?"
"I don't know." Belkin shook his head and replied: "Three battalions of our regiment have entered the town, but so far, no trace of the enemy has been found. I am ordering them to continue searching."
After learning that the troops entering the town had found no trace of the enemy, Rusuf showed a surprised expression on his face: "Colonel Belkin, how is this possible? You know, no matter how strong our artillery preparations were before the attack, we would be There were a large number of enemies who survived the shelling, how could there not be any enemies here? Is this a German conspiracy?"
Having said this, Rusuf couldn't help but look around vigilantly, wanting to see if there were any German officers and soldiers hidden in the surrounding ruins. However, due to the heavy smoke, visibility was limited. Areas beyond twenty meters were covered in fog and nothing could be seen clearly. He tried several times, but found that he couldn't see further, so he gave up.
Rusuf called one of his battalion commanders and told the other party: "Take your battalion into the town to search. Remember, the commanders and fighters of the 258th Regiment are also in the town. Don't let any misunderstanding happen." He warned. These words are not unfounded. You must know that the bombardment ended not long ago, and the smoke that enveloped the town has not dissipated. The surrounding visibility is limited, and it is difficult to see clearly beyond 20 meters. Under such circumstances, it is entirely possible for two troops that are not affiliated with each other to encounter each other in a town, and misunderstandings may occur.
Due to limited visibility, the 258th Regiment searched the town slowly. In almost every bombed building, the commander leading the team would send people in to search to see if there were any surviving German officers and soldiers. But the search results are the same every time. Except for the mutilated corpses, there is no living person at all.
The few vanguard soldiers walking at the front saw a half-collapsed church in the distance, and quickly reported to the battalion commander: "Comrade battalion commander, there is a church ahead. It seems that we have arrived at the center of the town." The vanguard soldiers The report is correct. According to Russian architectural style, churches are usually built in the center of the city.
But after receiving the report, the first battalion commander did not believe the other party's report. Instead, he took out the map and looked at it carefully. After looking at it for a while, he shook his head and said, "This is not the center of the town. This church is located in the southwest of the town. We are searching outside the town."
"What, search outside the town." The third company commander, who was standing next to the first battalion commander, heard the battalion commander say this and asked in surprise: "How could we go in the wrong direction?"
Hearing the question from the third company commander, the first battalion commander replied with a wry smile: "Third company commander, almost all the buildings in the town were destroyed by the shelling. After we entered the town, we lost the reference points. Coupled with the smoke, Visibility is limited, so it’s inevitable to take the wrong road.”
After saying this, the first battalion commander called the radio operator and told him: "Get the regimental commander for me."
When he heard Belkin's voice coming from the earphones, the first battalion commander reported with some embarrassment: "Comrade Commander, we have lost our way in the town and are now in the southwest of the town."
"What, you are in the southwest of the town?" Belkin couldn't help but frowned after listening to the battalion commander's report: "Didn't I order you to search towards the center of the town? Why did you deviate from the direction?"
"Comrade Commander, there is no way around this." The first battalion commander explained to Belkin: "The buildings in the town were destroyed by artillery fire, and the smoke was so thick that we couldn't find a suitable reference at all. So much so that I got lost while walking.”
After figuring out the reason for the disorientation of the first battalion, Belkin did not get angry, but simply ordered the other party: "Commander of the first battalion, you temporarily stop searching and stay where you are to wait for our further orders."
When Belkin ended his call with the 1st Battalion, the regiment chief of staff asked puzzledly: "Comrade regiment commander, why did you order the 1st Battalion to stop advancing?"
Belkin glanced at his chief of staff and explained to him: "Since the first battalion lost its way in the smoke, it means that a similar situation may occur in the second and third battalions. Now I want to know the current situation of the second and third battalions. In what position, lest they clash in the smoke.”
The regiment chief of staff accepted this task without hesitation and contacted the second and third battalions through walkie-talkies to find out where they were now to avoid getting lost again.
Belkin reminded Rusuf, who was standing next to him: "Colonel Rusev, I suggest you also contact the troops conducting search missions in the town to find out whether they have also lost their way."
"Colonel Belkin, what you said makes perfect sense." Even though both of them are colonels, Belkin still holds the position of deputy division commander, so Rusuf's attitude towards him was very respectful: "I will order someone immediately. Contact the search units and find out where they are."
After the regiment chief of staff contacted the second and third battalions, he reported with a somewhat embarrassed expression: "Comrade regiment leader, your analysis is correct. The second and third battalions have also lost their way and deviated from the designated search route."
Belkin couldn't help but frowned after hearing this and asked: "Where are they now?"
The regiment chief of staff quickly pointed out the locations of the second and third battalions on the map with his hand, and asked with a solemn expression: "Comrade commander, what should we do next?"
After Belkin saw clearly the positions of each battalion, he did not immediately issue an order. Instead, he said to Rusuf: "Colonel Rusev, come and take a look at where our regiment is now."
After Rusuf came over, Belkin pointed to the map and said to him: "Look, the three battalions of our regiment have completely deviated from the original search route because they lost their way in the town. Look, can we Do you want your troops to conduct search missions in these areas?"
After Rusuf clearly saw the location on the map, he couldn't help feeling ecstatic. According to the original plan of the division, after the troops launched an attack on the town, Belkin's 258th Regiment took the lead. The goal was to occupy the church in the center of the town and put up the red flag, announcing that the 84th Division had officially occupied Svetlo. Vodsk District.
But now the troops of the 258th Regiment have deviated from their original route during the operation. Belkin asked his troops to search towards the center of the town, which was equivalent to giving the honor of occupying the Svetlovodsk district to his own regiment. Thinking of this, Rusuf nodded vigorously and replied: "Don't worry, Colonel Belkin, I immediately ordered my troops to advance towards the center of the town and try to plant the red flag above the church in the center of the town as soon as possible."
Belkin was not a stingy person, but he was not angry at all when he heard Rusuf's tone, which was obviously about grabbing credit. Instead, he raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder, and said with a smile: "Colonel Rusuf, It seems that the task of capturing the Svetlovodsk district can only be completed by your regiment.”
Rusuf couldn't help but blush when Belkin saw through his little idea, and said with some embarrassment: "Colonel Belkin, this is really not because I want to take the credit, it's just a small accident."
"I understand, Colonel Rusov." Belkin said reasonably: "You don't have to have any psychological burden, just go and occupy the church with confidence and boldness."
Before Rusuf could speak, the radio operator on the side suddenly called Belkin: "Comrade Colonel, the division commander is on the line. He wants to talk to you. Please come over."
Belkin walked up to the operator and took the microphone and earphone: "Hello, comrade division commander, I am Belkin."
"Colonel Belkin," Fomenko's anxious voice came from the earphones: "How is the situation there? Why can't you hear any movement?"
"Comrade Division Commander," Belkin reported to Fomenko: "After our troops entered the town, they launched a detailed search. But unfortunately, in all the destroyed buildings, only the corpses of the enemy were found. Or bombed weapons, not a single living person was found. Our commanders and fighters are conducting a more detailed search of the remaining areas."
