Chapter 291 Memories of Kiev

At best, a small light bulb that was only slightly stronger than a kerosene lamp barely illuminated the dim room. The old furniture and furnishings seemed to Malashenko like walking into an antique furniture store. Anyone who walked into this No one living in a shabby hut would associate it with the home of a colonel from the Ministry of Internal Affairs without knowing it.

"The room is a bit messy. I'm used to living alone. Normally I just come back to take a rest. If I get really busy, sometimes I can't even come back here. I'm used to sleeping in the office."

With a smile, he took down the two bottles of vodka that were placed on the bedside table. Even though Colonel Petrov had tried his best to move, the only remaining left arm that was not originally his dominant hand was beside him. Malashenko still looks so miserable and miserable.

"You'd better let me do this kind of thing, uncle, it's too much to force you."

Malashenko snatched the two bottles of vodka from his left hand and stopped for a moment. After a moment, Colonel Petrov shook his head slowly with a wry smile, and there was a hint of indescribable sadness in his eyes.

"It's really inconvenient to do everything without an arm, but it's just that I haven't completely become a cripple yet."

In an atmosphere that couldn't be called relaxed and pleasant at all, they pulled out their respective chairs and took their seats, placing the three glasses on each side in turn. Malashenko reluctantly took his seat immediately.

Looking at the transparent glass wine glass he was holding in his left hand, Colonel Petrov, who could see through the glass but not his own future, couldn't remember how long it had been since he had confided in someone close to him.

"The last time I drank from a glass was when I was talking to that guy Chernyev while talking about business, but who could have imagined that would be the last time he drank from a glass."

Hearing the sad words suddenly spoken by Colonel Petrov, he couldn't help but be slightly startled. Malashenko, who had gradually understood the hidden charm in the words in a daze, could hardly believe his ears.

Looking at the unbelievable expression on Malashenko's face, Colonel Petrov shook his head slowly and smiled as if he was self-deprecating, and immediately spoke again.

"Surprised, aren't you? But the truth is so cruel."

Colonel Petrov, who once again gave Malashenko a hint, was not in a hurry to reveal the last revealed truth. He slightly reached forward with his left arm and then grabbed the opened vodka bottle on the table and raised it gently. After getting up, Colonel Petrov filled the wine glasses for Malashenko, Natalia, and himself, and then he put down the half-full wine bottle in his hand.

"If I remember correctly, it should be August 12. Our division and several other neighboring troops were surrounded by a German tank group south of Kiev, in the area of ​​Bervomaysk. Another A German infantry group that arrived shortly after joined the battle and rushed over from the direction of Uman and completely surrounded us. "

"The battle lasted from the day of the 12th to the evening of the 13th. Our two armies, which were trapped in the encirclement by the Germans, fought for two days and one night. We concentrated all the artillery fire and combat vehicles in an attempt to clear the German encirclement. Open a gap and rush out."

"There were countless commanders below the regiment level who fell on the road of charge. During the most intense period of the breakout, two division commanders were sacrificed one after another in less than forty minutes. The Germans concentrated their tanks and armored vehicles to attack our flesh and blood infantry. During the counterattack, too many Red Army soldiers and commanders fell under the enemy's gun muzzles and tracks. Our breakout was like waves hitting the rocks, and they were killed by the Germans again and again after tragic sacrifices. Blocked back."

Before he finished speaking, he instantly raised the full wine glass in front of him without any warning, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. Feeling the burning and pungent sensation coming from his throat and stomach, there was a feeling in his heart that said no. Colonel Petrov, who was in pain, immediately continued to speak.

"It was at dawn on the 13th. After a continuous breakout all night, nine consecutive charges were launched, but they were all repelled by the Germans. The only people in the entire division who could hold a gun at that time, including the division headquarters, were not at the end. Three hundred men and tanks had been wiped out, and a large part of the tanks had to be abandoned due to lack of fuel. "

"This guy Chernyev is still as stubborn as ever, trying to break out of the encirclement. Our division, including the remnants of two other neighboring divisions, totals more than 2,000 people and less than 20 vehicles. The tanks, after hastily preparing, immediately launched a final breakout charge towards the Germans. What blocked us in front was half a German tank army. "

"An attack without the slightest artillery preparation had no effect at all on the encirclement position where the Germans had established a foothold. The Fascists stationed on the position delayed our offensive and then began to encircle them on both sides, trying to encircle their defensive position. Eat us in one go."

"In just ten minutes, the infantry and tanks were completely entangled with the surrounding Germans. In the chaos, Chernyaev still did not give up command of the troops. He shouted Li's slogan was waving his pistol and he tried his best to organize all the soldiers around him, while I followed him closely with the last guard troops of the division to protect his safety. "

"It should be the German 150mm howitzer, maybe with a larger caliber, but at least it can't be 105mm. A German heavy artillery shell fell from the sky in the blink of an eye and exploded in the center of our breakout force, just like a strong wind overturning a scarecrow, instantly taking many lives."

"My eyes stung as if they were burned by a raging fire, and my entire right arm seemed to no longer belong to me. I used my only remaining arm to force myself to get up from the ground, and all I saw was the half arm of Cherniaev, still holding the pistol, in front of me . "

"I picked up the half of my right arm and shouted his name like a madman. The stump hanging on my right shoulder had almost forgotten the pain. My mind was blank and my ears were ringing to the point of almost losing my hearing. I stood up and took two steps forward. I didn't even have the strength to walk and then fell to the ground. "

"When I woke up again, the last divisional staff officer who was with me told me that we had managed to rush out from the gap in the German chaos. Including all the divisional staff who were still able to walk, only 38 people from the entire division rushed out in the end. "