Chapter 1163: Surrounded on All Sides

The rising sun, which had just climbed to the edge of the horizon, had not yet had time to spread its golden light to the earth. Only the pale sky gradually awakened the earth shrouded in darkness.

The world that was lit up little by little and the cool breeze that blew from time to time indicated that the battlefield ruins that had been cooled down were about to be ignited and restarted again.

"All positions are basically ready, and all weapons that can be used are ready. However, we are now lacking heavy weapons, especially anti-tank guns and howitzers. We have almost none of these two things. The only anti-tank guns were also discarded during the evacuation. The Germans will definitely seize this weakness and use tanks to attack the infantry defense line. Is there any good way?"

Malachenko, holding a piece of bread in his mouth, was sitting at the table, looking at the map and eating breakfast. Lavrinenko, who had just returned from a walk around the position, was making a report and explaining to Malachenko the current difficulties and special circumstances.

It is a well-known fact that the SS troops have powerful armored forces. In contrast, the troops who retreated here lightly did not have much anti-armor firepower. There was almost no better way to deal with the SS's garbage iron boxes except relying on the direct firepower of tanks.

So even if Lavrinenko asked this question, Malashenko, who was not an omnipotent god, had no good solution. He could only shake his head slowly after swallowing the last bite of bread in his hand.

"I can't turn into anti-tank guns and howitzers, but we must fight this battle, and our ultimate goal is to defeat the enemy and leave here alive."

He chewed a mouthful of bread twice and swallowed it whole. He grabbed the kettle on the table beside him, looked up, drank two mouthfuls, and wiped his mouth. He looked at the time on his watch and estimated that the fascists on the opposite side were about to act. Malashenko, who had hardly slept last night, looked a little tired.

"Is there any movement in the south? Any situation report?"

It sounds a bit nonsensical, but Lavrinenko clearly knows what Malashenko is referring to. After organizing his words, he immediately answered.

"I just received a report ten minutes ago that the road we drove into the village yesterday has now been occupied by the enemy, still the SS. The scouts can't get too close to see the specific details, but just like you guessed last night, I also think that it's the bastards of the Guards Flag Division who caught up with us. I shouldn't be wrong."

Listening to Lavrinenko's opening report, Malashenko, who was holding a cigarette in his mouth to refresh himself, was not surprised. After pressing the lighter in his hand, he immediately replied.

"Delete it, brother. This is impossible. It must be the bastards of the Guards Division! If they hadn't caught up and blocked the opening in the south, where do you think these unlucky guys who were tricked by us before leaving could go? If you hit a wolf with a stick, it will always want to seek revenge on you. In this regard, there is no difference between the SS bastards and beasts like wolves."

Although Malashenko seemed calm and composed in a flat tone, the bad news in Lavrinenko's mouth was obviously not over yet.

"Not only in the south, Malashenko, the defense forces in the north of the village also reported that the enemy also appeared in their front direction, and the number was not small. Many soldiers saw a large number of enemy tanks moving towards the north. The situation is not good."

The adjective "the situation is not good" is still a bit obscure. Malashenko naturally understands the current situation.

"It's just a four-sided encirclement, which is expected. Those SS bastards are still worried that we will break out in the middle of the night. If they don't send more troops from the north to plug the gap, then they have a real brain problem. Anyway, they have more people now, so they can squander their troops as they please."

The main forces of the SS Division and the Imperial Division are stationed to the east and west of the village, and the Guards Flag Division just arrived in an emergency last night is in the south.

As for the remaining north, Malashenko guessed that the SS Division and the Imperial Division may have sent some troops, and then held a meeting, expanded the outer perimeter of the encirclement, and completely blocked the only gap.

Strictly speaking, this situation is not unexpected. Malashenko has other things that he cares about and is concerned about.

"How many Red Army troops are there in the encirclement now? Are we the only ones left?"

Malashenko always felt that the SS had spent so much effort to make a roundabout encirclement, and the troops trapped in the pocket should not be just his own people. If we contact them again, we may be able to contact other friendly troops that are also trapped in the encirclement. It is always good to unite some forces.

Unfortunately, Political Commissar Petrov, who came from the side and behind, brought Malashenko the latest news that was not good.

"There are no other friendly troops. We are the only ones left in the encirclement, the 1st Heavy Tank Brigade of the Stalin Guards and the 9th Airborne Division of the Guards."

Upon hearing this, Malashenko turned around and saw that Political Commissar Petrov, who was lighting a cigarette, still wanted to continue talking.

"The only unit we contacted was a scattered unit. There was something strange in the west of the village last night. The sentry thought it was the Germans who came up under the cover of night and were about to shoot. Unexpectedly, it was a Red Army infantry team of more than a dozen people gathered together temporarily."

"These dozen people are from the 112th Infantry Division. They were responsible for the attack of the SS Division. When the SS launched a counterattack, their troops were defeated head-on. The lieutenant led his soldiers to fight and retreat. The SS tanks were almost everywhere. Then they lost their way with the main force. Because there were too few people, they kept avoiding the enemies they met along the way."

"Then they found us here in the middle of the night? Ha, I can't figure out how the SS monitored their encirclement and didn't notice it at all."

If these dozen people were discovered by the SS, there would have been a lot of gunfire last night, but the truth is that Malashenko didn't hear a single gunshot last night. This is obviously because the encirclement of the SS was not tight enough, at least Malashenko thought so.

"It may not be what you think. Judging from the description, the dozen of them should have been under the enemy's actual control before the encirclement was completely closed. So this is not an accidental entry into the encirclement, but a search for the main force to join up after being in the encirclement."

He raised the kettle that Malashenko had just used on the table and was ready to take a sip. Political Commissar Petrov, who had not yet finished speaking, had not had time to put the spout of the kettle into his mouth when an unexpected loud noise suddenly came.