Chapter 209

With the car, the speed of returning is much faster. It took about 20 minutes to walk when I came, but only five minutes to go back.

Grissa drove into the forest and drove back to the area. Looking out of the window, I was surprised to find that it had become a busy logging site. The soldiers in single clothes cut down the birch with axes. The soldiers waiting nearby will come immediately. Three or five people will not even clean the branches. They will lift up the trunk and go out of the forest, shouting the number.

Seeing this scene, I couldn't help wondering what bukov was doing and how the soldiers cut down the trees? I pushed the door open, jumped into the snow, took a few steps forward and looked around to see where bukov was. Even if I couldn't find bukov, I could ask any officer. Because they are militia, the difference between officers and soldiers is obvious. The former wears military uniform, while the latter wears civilian clothes. However, after standing in the snow and looking around for a long time, I saw that all the people who came and went were wearing casual clothes, but none of them were wearing military uniform.

Yushchenko and they got out of the car, came to me and put on guard. At the same time, Yushchenko asked me in a low voice: "Comrade division, what is this captain bukov doing? Instead of arranging for the soldiers to defend themselves, they organized everyone to cut down trees here. "

Instead of taking his words, I stopped a soldier passing by with an axe in his hand and asked, "Comrade soldier, do you know where Captain bukov is?"

The soldier glanced at my badge, immediately changed his axe to his left hand, saluted me at attention, and loudly reported: "report, comrades of commander, battalion commander and company commander have gone to a meeting."

"Meeting?! What meeting will be held at this time? " I roared a little discontentedly. As soon as the words came out, I immediately felt that it was not right. The man in front of me was just an ordinary soldier. How could he know what meeting the commanders were holding? He quickly changed his calm tone and asked, "where are they meeting, captain?"

He looked around, then pointed decisively to the north and said, "there, comrade commander, they are meeting in that tent."

I followed the direction of his fingers and saw that there was a dark green tent in the forest tens of meters away. I nodded and politely said to the soldier, "thank you, comrade soldier. You can leave. "

When the soldier heard me say this, he saluted me and trotted away.

I turned to Yushchenko standing beside the car and said, "Comrade captain, you and your men will stay here. I'll go to the captain's headquarters alone."

"Yes Yushchenko agreed very simply.

I went outside the tent, lifted the curtain and went in. It's full of people. My sudden intruder attracted everyone's attention. With sharp eyes, I found that the commander sitting opposite was captain bukov. I quickly laughed and said hello to him: "Hello, Captain bukov! I'm here specially to attend your military meeting. "

"Hello! Sir, comrade Bukov stood up to meet me and held out his hand. After holding my hand, he asked softly, "do you get anything from going to the tank division?"

As I shook hands with him, I said frankly, "I've talked with lieutenant colonel bunyachenko, chief of staff of the tank division. Their troops will come soon. You want your troops to be ready for battle!"

I thought that bukov would be very excited when he heard this news. He just let out a faint voice, then released my hand, pointed to a man in civilian clothes and said, "Comrade division commander, let me introduce you. This is Comrade kashevsky, the people's commissar of the district Soviet."

After listening to bukov's introduction of his identity to me, the man stepped forward and offered to shake hands with me. Look at the person in charge in front of me, wearing a Lenin hat and a black woollen coat with exquisite texture and fine workmanship. I just politely shook him and let him go.

Bukov asked me to sit in an empty seat. Then he separated his hands and pressed them down. He said, "everybody sit down. Let's go on with the meeting." With his command, the commanders who just stood up because I came in sat down again.

When everyone was ready, I said, "Comrade captain, I have a question for you. I see the soldiers outside cutting down trees. I don't know what they are doing with these trees? "

"Build fortifications!" Bukov immediately replied without thinking, then added: "recently, the air-conditioning temperature is low, the ground has been frozen, if you do not use explosives, there is no way to dig trenches, so I can only order the soldiers to cut down trees to build fortifications."

"Fortifications?" Hearing what he said, I was puzzled and asked, "our attack is about to start. In terms of the comparison of forces, we have the advantage in numbers. With the cooperation of the tank division, there is no problem in recapturing Himki. There is no need to build any fortifications."

Bukov looked at me and said with some embarrassment, "Comrade division, you don't know something. During the period when you left, the mission of our battalion changed again. The higher authorities ordered us to give up the task of attacking Himki and instead build defensive positions in the forest to block the enemy's way forward and wait for the arrival of reinforcements! " Then he pointed to kashevsky next to him and added, "Comrade kashevsky is here to convey the new order."

"Yes! Comrade commander. " Kashevsky immediately took over bukov's topic and explained to me, "as you know, we are militia, and there is a big gap between us and regular forces in terms of equipment and combat effectiveness. With respect, from the current situation, not to mention us, even the same number of regular troops can't wipe out the enemy in a short time, so we must stick to it first. The regional Soviets have already issued an order, demanding that the soldiers be nailed to the positions like nails, and not be allowed to retreat a step. When the reinforcements arrive, they can choose an opportunity to destroy the enemy. "“ no way! I'm against it I immediately stood up and strongly opposed this unreasonable order, "we must organize the attack! If these enemies who occupied Himki are not eliminated, they will use the reserves to strengthen their forces here and use it as a new starting point of attack. You know, comrades, the Kremlin is 20 kilometers behind us, and the enemy's tanks can enter Red Square in less than an hour. " Kashevsky shrugged his shoulders, tilted his head and said, "Comrade commander, although you have a good point. But you have to know that this order for the troops to immediately turn to defense was issued by the regional Soviet. As a subordinate, it can only be carried out, and it is not allowed to question and discuss the order. " After listening to what he said, I was very angry. This is a group of political workers who sit in the office every day and know nothing about military affairs. If it wasn't for them, the losses at the beginning of the war would be much smaller. At the thought of this, I was so angry that I immediately took a clear stand and expressed my attitude: "no way! I still said that as soon as the tank troops arrive, they must launch an attack immediately. We must never let the enemy gain a firm foothold in the base station of him, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable. " I turned my head to bukov's position, and then said, "Comrade captain, I suggest that you deploy immediately before the war and prepare for the attack. We don't have much time." Bukov gave me a wry smile. Instead of giving me a direct answer, he focused on his subordinates in the tent. Maybe it was because he didn't make a statement. The officers on the scene were afraid of causing trouble for themselves, so they didn't dare to express their true views. When they saw bukov's eyes looking at them, they avoided his eyes, either turned their heads to one side or buried their heads. Bukov's eyes swept around the tent. Seeing that no one spoke, he sighed. Then, as if he had made up his mind, he straightened himself up, stood up abruptly and said to kashevsky, "Comrade committee member, I think Mr. oshanina's opinion is very correct. What do you think of it?" Kachevsky was stunned and thought a little. Then he put his face in a straight line and said stubbornly, "no, comrade captain, please pay attention to your position. You should know that the order of the district Soviet can't be changed. You must resolutely implement it, or you will bear the consequences. Besides, comrade captain, I now order you to let the soldiers continue to build fortifications and prepare for a tough defensive war. " When he said this, he gave me a scornful glance with a trace of provocation in his eyes.