The German army has added troops in the Uman area again. As soon as I saw this report, I felt a headache. In this way, the counterattack of the German army on the grassland front soon was definitely not an ordinary small fight. Perhaps they wanted to drive our army across the Dnieper River again, so they probably would give up.

I immediately ordered Bezikov: "Chief of Staff, call Captain Trafkin immediately and ask him to seize the time to find out the German number that has reached the Uman area. In addition, report this situation to the Front Command."

"Don't you need to inform the 53rd Army?" Bezikov reminded me in kindness.

"No, no need to report." Thinking of his kind intention to warn friendly forces, the other party reacted indifferently. Fortunately, this was still a unit that had fought side by side with us. If another unit was replaced, it might also arouse suspicion from the commanders, thinking that I gave them such a situation to compete with them in the future. "Since the information we reported last time did not attract their necessary attention, then there is no need to hit the nails again this time."

"I understand." Bezikov smiled bitterly, then turned around and reported to Trafkin and the Front Command.

When busy, Kirillov heard my words, he stopped the pen in his hand, looked up at me with a strange look, and continued to write his report.

Compared with Kirillov's disregarded attitude, Chisdakov was full of concerns. He frowned and asked me: "Comrade Commander, if we do not inform our friendly forces of this information, once their flanks are attacked by the German army and affect the entire battle plan of our superiors, I am worried that it will cause us trouble."

"Comrade Deputy Commander, you have been worried too much." In order not to let him continue to worry, I specifically explained to him: "The mission of our army is to cover the flanks of the 53rd Army. As long as we do not let the German army threaten their flanks, we will not have to bear any responsibility."

Chisdakov lowered his head, looked at the map in front of him, and continued to ask: "Comrade Commander, what kind of troops do you think the German army will dispatch to counterattack the grassland front?"

"It will definitely not work if there is less force." I looked at the telegram from Trafkin's return and organized my words seriously: "I estimate that the German army will at least carry out a frontal assault on the Grassland Front at the scale of two or three armored divisions."

Hearing me say this, Chisdakov became more relaxed. He said disapprovingly: "If the German army launches a counterattack from the front of friendly forces, then there is no need to worry. You should know that several armies gathered on the banks of the Dnieper River. If the German army wants to eat them, they must have good teeth."

When I returned from the telegram, I asked him again: "Chief of Staff, is there any new news coming back in the troops in Korrostviv?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander, there is no news for the time being." After saying these two sentences, Bezikov suddenly said to me: "I think in the Korostviv region, there are three guard divisions and a tank brigade. If there is no unified command, when the battle begins, the troops may fight independently, so that they can be easily defeated by the Germans. Therefore, I suggest that a commander be established to be responsible for the unified command of the troops in the region."

Bezikov's words reminded me that when I sent troops out, I really didn't expect to designate a special person to be responsible for unified command of these troops. At this moment, since Bezikov mentioned it, I followed the flow and said: "Among the commanders in the Krostviv region, General Kravchenko, the highest rank and position is General Kravchenko, let him be responsible for commanding all the troops."

"Okay, I'll convey your order now." Seeing that my suggestion was adopted by me, Bezikov immediately went to telegraph Kravchenko and the others.

Before Bezikov came back this time, the front command called me. Zhukov was on the phone, and he asked loudly: "Lida, I heard that your troops have successfully occupied Korostviv and cut off the connection between Kiev's Zhitomir. Is that true?"

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." I replied with certainty.

"How long do you plan to stay there?" Zhukov asked.

When I heard his question, I was stunned and didn't understand why he asked this. But I still answered truthfully: "Comrade Marshal, of course, I have been sticking to it until Kiev is liberated by our army."

Zhukov sighed and said, "Lida, you must make the commanders in the Korostviv region mentally prepare and prepare to fight against the Germans' crazy counterattack."

"Don't worry, Comrade Marshal." When Zhukov was talking about this, I felt that he was a little stingy. Since I decided to send troops to occupy Korostviv, I would be ready to be attacked by the enemy on both sides. Do he need him to remind me specifically? "Our commanders and fighters have been ready to face the enemy."

"Lida, don't take it lightly." Zhukov may have heard from my tone that I disagree, so he specifically emphasized: "Since the liberation of Belgorod, due to the limitations of the terrain, we can only besiege the city from three directions at most, so the enemy can retreat from the direction that has not been attacked without support. This time, you cut off the German traffic line, which is equivalent to cutting off the German retreat route. This will make the enemy who has cut off the retreat route even more crazy. If the trapped beasts are still fighting, you will suffer huge casualties."

Zhukov's words scared me. In the battle of the past period, whether Belgorod or Kharkov, due to the dense forests and rivers around the city, we could only attack from three directions. Once the Germans could not support it, they could withdraw their troops from the direction that was not controlled by our army. Now that I have occupied Krostviv, I have surrounded the German troops in Kiev. With Manstein's character, this situation is absolutely not allowed. He will definitely order the troops of Kiev and Zedomir to launch a fierce attack on our troops who controlled Krostviv. Faced with such an attack by the enemy, whether Krafchenko and others can defend it is really a big question.

After I was silent for a long time, I said to Zhukov in a serious tone: "Comrade Marshal, don't worry. No matter how fierce the enemy's attack is, our troops will firmly defend Korostviv."

"Since you have such confidence, I'm relieved..."

When I heard Zhukov intending to hang up the phone, I suddenly remembered what happened to Uman and shouted loudly: "Comrade Marshal, please wait a moment, please don't hang up the phone."

"Lida, what's wrong with you?" Zhukov asked in confusion.

"That's right, Comrade Marshal." I quickly reported the information that Trafkin and the others had detected to Zhukov again, and said anxiously: "Comrade Marshal, please transfer this information to Commander Konev so that he can prepare in advance so that he will not be caught off guard by the Germans."

"Is the situation really as serious as you said?" Zhukov said with some doubt: "We have now deployed five fronts along the Dnieper River, with a total force of more than two million. I think as long as Manstein is not a fool, he will never launch a suicide counterattack against our army with several times more troops than him."

"But, Comrade Marshal..." Seeing that Zhukov didn't believe me, I was unwilling to persuade him again, but I was interrupted by him: "Okay, Lida, you don't need to say anything. I think it's not realistic to think of counterattack before our powerful offensive. You don't have to worry about this matter, I will personally explain to Konev." After that, he hung up the phone without waiting for me to speak.

I couldn't help but smile bitterly as I heard the blind voice coming from the microphone. When I put down the phone, Chisdakov asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, what's the situation? What did the commander think about the Umande Army's increase in troops?"

I shrugged my shoulders, spread my hands, and said helplessly: "Comrade Marshal doesn't believe that the enemy troops in Uman have the courage to attack the defense zone of the grassland front."

After I finished speaking, Chisdakov also said cautiously: "Comrade Commander, I will say a few things I shouldn't say, please don't be angry. This time, maybe you are thinking too much. The combined forces of our five fronts are seven or eight times more than those of the Germans. In this case, what Manstein has to consider is how to block our attack, rather than to draw off the troops from the already stretched forces to carry out a counterattack that has no chance of winning at all."

Although I don't remember what this history was like, the liberation of Kiev was in early November, which is an indisputable fact. If the five fronts were progressing smoothly, why did they fight with the Germans for more than half a month? It must have suffered a great loss from the German army in part, which affected the process of liberation of Kiev.

Although I made such a judgment, I did not tell anyone. Instead, I personally called Lu Jin and Xie Liujin and asked them how the fortifications were built there.

Xie Liujin told me on the phone: "Comrade Commander, don't worry. My troops built two lines of defense based on forests and swamps, and laid minefields in front of the positions. If the Germans don't come, they will be punished. As long as they come, they will be punished without returning."

Lu Jin's answer was much more cautious: "Comrade Commander, because the time is too hasty, we cannot establish solid fortifications in such a short time. It may be no problem to block the Germans for a day or two, but if the time is delayed too long, I will be no sure."

When I heard Zhukov intending to hang up the phone, I suddenly remembered what happened to Uman and shouted loudly: "Comrade Marshal, please wait a moment, please don't hang up the phone."

"Lida, what's wrong with you?" Zhukov asked in confusion.

"That's right, Comrade Marshal." I quickly reported the information that Trafkin and the others had detected to Zhukov again, and said anxiously: "Comrade Marshal, please transfer this information to Commander Konev so that he can prepare in advance so that he will not be caught off guard by the Germans."

"Is the situation really as serious as you said?" Zhukov said with some doubt: "We have now deployed five fronts along the Dnieper River, with a total force of more than two million. I think as long as Manstein is not a fool, he will never launch a suicide counterattack against our army with several times more troops than him."

"But, Comrade Marshal..." Seeing that Zhukov didn't believe me, I was unwilling to persuade him again, but I was interrupted by him: "Okay, Lida, you don't need to say anything. I think it's not realistic to think of counterattack before our powerful offensive. You don't have to worry about this matter, I will personally explain to Konev." After that, he hung up the phone without waiting for me to speak.

I couldn't help but smile bitterly as I heard the blind voice coming from the microphone. When I put down the phone, Chisdakov asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, what's the situation? What did the commander think about the Umande Army's increase in troops?"

I shrugged my shoulders, spread my hands, and said helplessly: "Comrade Marshal doesn't believe that the enemy troops in Uman have the courage to attack the defense zone of the grassland front."

After I finished speaking, Chisdakov also said cautiously: "Comrade Commander, I will say a few things I shouldn't say, please don't be angry. This time, maybe you are thinking too much. The combined forces of our five fronts are seven or eight times more than those of the Germans. In this case, what Manstein has to consider is how to block our attack, rather than to draw off the troops from the already stretched forces to carry out a counterattack that has no chance of winning at all."

Although I don't remember what this history was like, the liberation of Kiev was in early November, which is an indisputable fact. If the five fronts were progressing smoothly, why did they fight with the Germans for more than half a month? It must have suffered a great loss from the German army in part, which affected the process of liberation of Kiev.

Although I made such a judgment, I did not tell anyone. Instead, I personally called Lu Jin and Xie Liujin and asked them how the fortifications were built there.

Xie Liujin told me on the phone: "Comrade Commander, don't worry. My troops built two lines of defense based on forests and swamps, and laid minefields in front of the positions. If the Germans don't come, they will be punished. As long as they come, they will be punished without returning."
Chapter completed!