When the sky was dark, the sound of gunfire and explosions from outside the house gradually became thinner. According to my experience on the battlefield, this is a sign that the battle is coming to an end.

Although a few hours ago, Bantai Leyev’s troops had attacked the German entrenched bridge east, but due to the enemy's strong fortifications, several assaults were unsuccessful, and he paid a lot of money. The price. As the sky gets brighter and brighter, if we can't take the position on the opposite shore and join forces with our friendly forces, we will suffer even greater losses once we wait for the enemy's aircraft to arrive.

I rubbed the vaguely painful temples, and then said to Pugachev who had just arrived at the headquarters: "Major, call General Bantai Lev and ask him about the situation there, and see if he has any friends with him. The troops join forces."

Pugachev agreed and walked quickly to the table. When he was about to pick up the phone, the phone on the table rang first. He grabbed the microphone and said loudly, close to his ear, "Hey, this is the headquarters, where are you?"

After listening for a while, he suddenly shouted excitedly: "What, meeting up with the friendly army?! Where? Near the No.1 Bridge, the tank of the 97th Brigade of the Third Tank Army broke through the enemy's position on the east bank. Have you joined forces with the Guards Division?! Great, this is really great. Tell me, who are participating in the meeting, I will write it down." As he said, he held the microphone with his shoulder and took it from the table. Picked up the pen, began to record in the notebook, and at the same time repeated loudly: "We have a regiment of the third battalion deputy commander, Captain Mishchenkov... the ninth company commander, Captain Grakov... The third tank army has the 97th brigade Tank platoon leader Irina Levchenko... Tank soldiers..."

Hearing the meeting with the troops of the East Tank Army, cheers and applause suddenly sounded in the command headquarters. Kirilov also said happily: "That's great, this is really great, Lida. The meeting with the friendly forces means that we have re-established contact with the main force."

I nodded, did not speak, just silently listened to Pugachev repeating the content of the phone when I heard the name Irina. Can't help but froze for a while. Although I have long known that there are female tankers and female pilots in the Soviet army, I was surprised to hear the name of a female in the list of meeting personnel.

After Pughachev put down the phone, I didn't wait for him to speak. He asked first: "Major, I just seemed to hear that one of the names you said was a female name. Am I right?"

Pugachev looked down at the notebook in his hand, and then nodded. I replied affirmatively: "Yes, Comrade Commander, there is a tug named Irina Levchenko who is a platoon leader of the tank brigade."

"Female tank soldiers, this is really rare." Kirilov heard Pugachev's words, and said in surprise: "And also honorably became one of the first group of commanders and fighters who joined our division. There is a chance. I really want to meet this brave girl."

"Comrade Political Commissar. Don't wait for a chance, we will go there now." I considered that now that the two armies have joined forces, regardless of whether the fighting in other places is still going on. As the deputy commander of the campaign group, Rebarko will also come to meet with me as soon as possible. Instead of sitting here and waiting for his arrival, it would be better for me to meet him personally, so I said to Kirilov: "Let’s go, Comrade Political Commissar, anyway, the affairs here can be left to Major Pugachev. Let’s go. Meet General Rebarko."

For my sudden proposal. Kirilov did not object, but replied graciously: "Lida. I know you are a little uncomfortable when you heard the news of the meeting of the two armies. I want to go there and have a look, right? Okay, no problem. ,I go with you."

"Then let's go, Comrade Political Commissar." I shook my head at Kirilov, then stood up, carried the assault rifle placed by the table, and walked outside with my leg raised.

Our jeep arrived at the west end of Bridge No. 1 and could not continue to move forward, because our commanders were cleaning the battlefield. They either collected the remains of the sacrificed comrades and placed them neatly on the side of the road; or Assist the hygienist to lift the wounded who fell on the ground and unable to move onto a stretcher.

Seeing that the car could not continue to move forward, I simply pushed the door and got out of the car, then bent over and said to Kirilov who was still sitting inside: "Comrade Political Commissar, the car can't be driven forward. Let's go over. ."

Kirilov looked ahead, and, apart from anything else, he pushed the door and got out of the car from the other side. Then he said to me: "Let's go, Lida, let's go to the other side of the bridge to see the friendly comrades. "

We crossed the Dnieper River on the iron bridge on foot, and saw a few tanks parked on the east bank of the bridge. The muzzles of them all pointed to the south without exception, because there were sporadic messages coming from the direction of the second bridge one kilometer away. The sound of guns.

Seeing our arrival, the infantry guarding behind the bridgehead sandbag fortification immediately ran out a few people and greeted us. One of the commanders ran up to us quickly and straightened his body and reported to me: "Comrade Commander, Captain Grakov, commander of the 3rd Battalion and 9th Company of the 22nd Division, First Regiment of the Guards, reported to you that we have succeeded. The land and the friendly forces are joining forces, and they are acting as a guard at the moment to prevent the defeated enemy from escaping towards us in the direction of the second bridge. I am waiting for your order, please give instructions!"

"Keep on guard," I replied hastily. But when I saw him turning to leave, I remembered that I hadn't seen Rebarko's subordinates, and quickly stopped him, "By the way, Captain, where are General Rebarko's subordinates, I want to meet."

"Comrade Commander, please wait a moment, I will call them." After speaking, he turned around and ran to the nearest tank, clenched his fist, and smashed it into the body. .

After a few knocks, the closed top cover of the turret was suddenly lifted, and a tank soldier protruded half of his body from the inside, leaning over to look at Captain Grakov who was knocking on the body. Grakov yelled a few words at the other party, and pointed his hand towards us. The tanker looked in the direction of his fingers. After seeing us, he quickly climbed out of the turret, jumped out of the tank, and ran towards us quickly.

When the tanker stood in front of us, I realized that it was a young and beautiful girl, so I smiled and asked, "You are the tank platoon leader Levchenko, right?"

Levchenko glanced quickly at my rank, a look of surprise flashed across his face. But he replied quickly: "Yes, Comrade General, I am Levchenko."

I looked at the young female tank soldier platoon leader with a smile on my face, and asked friendly: "I don't know your real name and father's name, how do you call it?"

Levchenko heard my question. Replied: "Irina Nikolayevna. Comrade General."

"Comrade Tuas, I think maybe being a hygienist is more suitable for you." Kirilov, who was next to him, waited for Levchenko to answer, then interrupted and said, "Tankers are better suited for men."

Levchenko turned to look at Kirilov who was talking, and said firmly: "Comrade Military Commissioner. After I became a soldier, I became a health officer. I have participated in Smolensk, Crimean Peninsula and other places. fighting."

"It seems that you performed well in the battle." Kirilov slammed at the Red Star Medal hanging on her chest: "You actually got a Red Star Medal."

Before Levchenko could explain, a tank soldier who had just arrived next to her introduced to us: "Comrade commanders, maybe you don’t know that Dr. Levchenko is in battle. We rescued them from the battlefield. 168 wounded were laid off, an enemy was captured, and a machine gun was seized from the Romanian. Later, because of serious injuries, she was diagnosed as unable to continue her service and should have been discharged from the army. But she couldn't help but accept those who could not continue to serve. The diagnosis and treatment book also strongly requested to learn tank driving skills and to join the tank unit."

I know that tank soldiers are a special unit, so they can't join if they want to join. Moreover, she is still a wounded who has been diagnosed and treated as unable to continue to serve. If she wants to join, the degree of difficulty will be even higher. I was attracted by her legendary experience. So I can’t wait to find out how she joined the tank unit: "Comrade Tuas, can you tell me how you joined the tank unit later?"

"Comrade General, when my request to join the tank unit was rejected according to the normal procedure, I did not give up, so I went to find the commander of the tank unit, General Fedorenko." Levchenko told me about her without concealment. The experience of joining the tank unit: "Initially. The general refused me without hesitation. But I did not leave. Instead, I cried to the general that my hometown of Voroshilovgrad had fallen into the hands of the fascist invaders. As a result. A Ukrainian, I can’t just watch my compatriots struggling painfully under the iron hoof of the enemy. So I insisted on joining the tank army to fight the fascist invaders severely and try to free our enslaved people as soon as possible.

Perhaps it was my words that moved General Fedorenko. He finally agreed to my request and let me join the tank army. During the medical examination, I was turned away by the doctor because of the disability on my right arm. It was General Fedorenko who went out, passed the medical examination, and entered the Tank Army Academy in Stalingrad for a crash course in related courses. . "

Hearing her mention Stalingrad, I couldn't help asking: "So, you also participated in the defense of Stalingrad?"

She nodded and said affirmatively: "Yes, Comrade General. My unit had fought with the Germans in the Don River Basin. Later, the unit suffered heavy losses and was evacuated to Tula near Moscow for repairs. No, not long after the repair was completed, I was transferred to the front line to participate in the battle to liberate Ukraine."

After listening to her experience, not only did I nod in admiration, but even Yushchenko, who was standing behind me, kept whispering to the soldier next to me: "It's great, this girl is really too good job!"

As we were talking, several armored vehicles drove from a distance, followed by a truck with a canopy. The convoy stopped twenty or thirty meters away from us. Seeing the soldiers jumping from the truck, they quickly formed a vigilant formation near the armored vehicle, and knew in my heart that it must be General Rebarko.

When I was hesitating whether to meet me or not, the group of commanders who had just gotten out of the armored car had already walked towards me. At this time, I can't stand still, I can only greet me.

The burly round-faced general who was walking in the front stopped a few steps away from me, raised his hand to salute, and said loudly, "Comrade Commander, hello!"

"Hello, General Rebarko." I quickly returned a gift, stepped forward, and reached out to shake hands with him: "Welcome to Kiev!"

Rebarko shook my hand and shook it vigorously. "Comrade Commander, you are really amazing, but when I learned from Marshal Zhukov that you were planning to launch an attack on Kiev, I was not at ease. I thought it was like Such a big city must be heavily guarded by the German army, and it is absolutely impossible to attack it in less than a month or two. But I did not expect that from the offensive to the present, it took only a dozen hours, and most of Kiev fell. In the hands of our army. The capital of Ukraine finally broke free from the clutches of the fascist invaders and returned to the embrace of the motherland."

"General Rebarko," I said politely after he finished, "Although we have captured Kiev, the enemy will certainly not let it go. Mainstein is at war with our Voronov Front and the Southwest Front. , Will definitely deploy heavy troops in the shortest possible time to implement a counterattack against Kiev. With the strength of the 79th Infantry Corps, it is very difficult to defend Kiev, so you must transfer your troops to Kiev as soon as possible to participate in the defense."

Rebarko heard what I said, nodded, and echoed: "This is no problem. After we have eliminated the remnants of the German army on the east coast of Kiev, we can transfer all the main forces into the city to strengthen the city's defenses. ."

After Kirilov waited for Rebarko to let go of my hand, he also extended his hand to him, and at the same time introduced himself: "Hello, Comrade Deputy Commander. I am Acting Military Commissioner Kirilov. I am glad to see you here. To you."

Next ~lightnovelpub.net~ General Rebarko introduced me to the commanders behind him. Except for the commanders of the 12th and 15th corps, the rest are the brigades of tank brigades. Or political commissar.

After the greeting was over, Kirilov kindly reminded us: "General Lida and Rebarko, although we are all nearby, they are on the battlefield after all. There are no stragglers hidden by the enemy nearby, just for safety's sake. , Let's go back to the headquarters."

"Where is the headquarters?" Rebarko heard Kirilov's words, and immediately asked curiously: "Is it in Mariinsky Palace?"

Kirilov shook his head and replied: "Comrade Deputy Commander, you may be disappointed. Mariinsky Palace was destroyed by our army’s artillery during the battle a few hours ago. Although it has not completely collapsed, it can no longer be used as the seat of the headquarters. So just before coming here, I have ordered my subordinates to move the new headquarters to the Supreme Radha building opposite the Mariinsky Palace."

Rebarko heard that the Mariinsky Palace was destroyed, with a regretful expression on his face, but he still said casually: "Since the new headquarters is located in the Verkhovna Rada building, let's go now. That government building is also a stone building, and there is a basement below. Even if bombed by an enemy plane, we can move to the basement below in time." (To be continued)