Chapter 23 -2

It has been more than a month since the part of the mechanized 8th Army led by C. Popper was encircled by the enemy.We have heard nothing from them, and think they are dead.And they came back with their banners and weapons.That is to say, the fascists failed to wipe out any corps of our front.Prior to this, the regiments of the 87th Infantry Division and the divisions of the 7th Infantry Army had broken through successively, but now, Su Xi and Popel brought their heroes back.Yes, they lost a lot of men in battle, but you know, when these troops are in the enemy's rear, the enemy is also punished severely.

Before long, we received a letter from T. F. Noah, acting commander of the 124th Infantry Division. Detailed reports by Colonel Vikov and H.C. Popper, brigade commissar.They dryly recounted their entire encounter in military language.But we read these square characters with great excitement, and were amazed by the majestic strength of our soldiers time and time again. On the first day of the war, the 124th Infantry Division rushed from its permanent base to the national border and entered the defensive zone it had built.The division had to fight and advance, repelled the enemy with a resolute impact, and occupied the bunker.But the enemy mobilized superior forces and forced it to retreat.The division captured and abandoned the defended area twice more.Its ranks were getting smaller and smaller, while the enemy kept bringing in new troops.

In the evening, the division consolidated on the Poretsk (Pamilovsk)-Milyatin line, where it heroically repelled all enemy attacks and held the area.But its wings are exposed.The enemy took advantage of this and used tanks and infantry to outflank and encircle the Soviet troops.This is what happened on the third day of the war.Army Commander Potapov reported to the Front Command that neither he nor the commander had contacted the besieged troops.Now it is clear that after the enemy encircled the division, they wanted to destroy it with a surprise attack.The impact is carried out simultaneously from four sides.Soviet soldiers fought tenaciously.A large group of fascist soldiers rushed to the firing position of the artillery regiment.The artillerymen did not give an inch, almost directly aiming at the enemy.After several volleys, there were not many fascists left.

A large detachment of enemy submachine gunners attacked the division headquarters northeast of Milyakin.The guard company and the staff of the division headquarters went into the counterattack three times and repelled the enemy.In this battle, B. A. Zhelyakov, deputy political division commander, died, and General Susi was wounded. In the morning, the enemy dropped bombs on the division.At first, dozens of German bombers participated.The headquarters was broken up.The artillery regiments lost almost half their artillery.Many people were sacrificed.Continuing to stay here means letting the division be wiped out.General Sushi made the only correct decision - to break through.

At dawn on June 26, the regiments moved in the direction of Luqi case and Podbereziya.At this time, the division had no cars because the fuel oil had run out.There were not many shells left. The fascists launched heavy artillery and machine gun fire on the attacking troops and mobilized their own infantry to meet them.The soldiers cherished the last few bullets, and silently approached the enemy with a short-distance leap.Then they made a concerted effort to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy, and the fascists escaped.In this short but fierce battle, the infantry regiment of Colonel Hoffmann of the German army was defeated in the Podbereziya area.Our troops captured about 250 enemy people, including 12 officers, and also captured 50 artillery pieces and many other technical weapons.The corpses of Hitlerites were lying here and there on the battlefield.

Thus the glorious 124th Infantry Division began its long journey in the enemy's rear. The panic-stricken German leaders rushed more and more new troops to stop the Soviet division.The Hitlerites remembered the tragic fate of the Hoffmann regiment, so they did not dare to carry out a blatant attack, but tried to lure our troops into a fire trap.This attempt succeeded when the regiments of our army gradually entered the areas of small settlements Lachin, Kolpetov, and Svinyushi.The division commander did not organize a thorough reconnaissance, and his negligence had an impact.The enemy used various weapons to fire violently and intensively at the regiments that were not firmly established.So the commander led the soldiers to attack again.The breakout came at a high price.The division suffered heavy losses, especially in the artillery.The 781st infantry regiment, which attacked as the vanguard, lost its commander, Colonel C. G. Saveliev, and commissar B. C. Vasilyev.

The Soviet army broke through another trap.But where to go next?Where is the main force of the group army?General Sushi didn't know.They are most likely in the northeast.But this direction runs across the main artery through which the enemy mobilizes reserves—the Vronsky-Novesta-Lutsk road.It has been confirmed by reconnaissance: the road is crowded with enemy columns.The division commander then led the division to the southeast. The enemy follows and pursues.Parachuted on my way back.The division was once again encircled.The fighting lasted five hours.The fascist air force carried out crazy bombing.However, the enemy was also repulsed this time, and the casualties were heavy.The division reached the Stry River north of Berestichko, and fought its way across it with uncommon equipment, losing only two guns in total.

On July 4th and 5th, the division routed one screen after another.It is particularly difficult in the area of ​​Kejin Town, because a heavy enemy group blocks the way here.General Suzy took a very bold step: encircle and eliminate the Screen.He divided the division into two parts.One part was under the command of Colonel B. F. Novikov, commander of the 406th Infantry Regiment, and the other part was under the command of Major Salva Kartsia, commander of the 622nd Infantry Regiment.The task is to detour Kozin from the north and south to pin down the enemy. The Novikov cluster first detoured to the town of Kozin.It delivered a resolute blow to the enemy.However, Major Kartzia's detachment fell behind and was unable to support its neighbors in time.The enemy concentrated all artillery fire on Novikov and his men.Fortunately, Captain Bobrov, the commander of the artillery battalion, rescued them: he moved an artillery battery to the front, deployed it from the march, and conducted direct fire.The fascist artillery reduced its firepower.The 469th Artillery Regiment fired its last shells in this battle.The onslaught continued, and Kozin suburbs were within reach.But at this moment, the fascist tanks made an assault to the rear of the Novikov group, so they had to retreat.The artillerymen destroyed the now useless artillery.Major Kartzia finally pulled his regiment up.The regiment fought the bayonet several times.In the last attack, Kartsia died heroically, and General Sushi was also killed.But the division finally rushed out.Colonel Novikov assumed command.He, too, was badly wounded, and they put him in a carriage, which became his mobile command post.A. A. Basarkin, the battalion commissar of the first class, became the division commissar. He was calm, prudent, and as fearless as Novikov.Captain H. C. Povichuk, the communications director of the division, who was known for his boldness in the defense of Gorokhov, quickly formed a small headquarters, which provided great help to the division commander.

With dwindling regiments Novikov rushed to the Ikva River in order to force the river north of the settlement of Verba.The enemy has also sent a powerful screen team here.After repelling the screen, the division crossed the river.The enemy surrounded this division countless times, but it overcame all obstacles and kept going, going on and on, sometimes attacking the enemy head-on, sometimes deceiving the enemy with clever maneuvers. After crossing the Goron River, Novikov encountered the H.C. Popel cluster.The strength has expanded, and it has become easier to fight.As they approached Vronsky Novaya, the enemy followed them again.Fascist aviation began to cause trouble.It was clear that the enemy was seeking a decisive battle on the banks of the Sluoch.How can we cross the river?Novikov and Popel pondered over the map for a long time, while scouts explored the entire river bank.At night, the battle began, and this time our army fought first.People no longer spare the last bullets and grenades.The Hitlerites transferred all the possessions they had in their hands here.The boom was terrible.The enemy did not expect that only a strengthened reconnaissance unit of our army was operating at this point, but the main force was all crossing the river at another point.By the time the fascists came to their senses and rushed to the area where the river was crossed, the last group of my rear guards had arrived on the other side.

The battle line is close.The density of the fascist troops is increasing.But Novikov still found a weakness in the German defense in the outskirts of Belokorovich.Thus, the Novikov Division and the Popel Group joined up with the main force of my 5th Army... During the thirty-two days, the soldiers who were dying of fatigue and hunger fought nearly 600 kilometers behind the enemy, and no force could stop them.This heroic expedition is like a mirror, reflecting the Soviet soldiers' ardent yearning for victory. The speculation of the commander of the front army was confirmed.The German High Command, deeply disturbed by the tenacious onslaught of the 26th Army, concentrated a considerable force against it at the end of July. (We later learned) General Halder wrote in his diary as early as July 21: "Until the Russian 26th Army, which is fighting south of Kyiv, has been defeated, no south can be given to the 1st Tank Group. Enter a new mission."

The leader of the "South" Army Group launched an attack across the entire line of our 26th Army Group at noon on July 25.The onslaught of tank and motorized regiments was supported by heavy artillery fire and aviation strikes.The main assault was directed to the divisions of the 6th Infantry Army and the 5th Cavalry Army east and southeast of Bai Tserkovy.It was clear that Hitler's high command not only wanted to crush the main force of the 26th Army, but also to prevent it from retreating towards the Dnieper.The officers we sent to the troops found out that the divisions of the two corps were fighting hard while retreating slowly. After judging the situation, General Kirponos asked General Kostenko to stop the enemy at the Rossi River, that is, prevent it from entering the Dnieper River.At the same time, he ordered that under no circumstances should the two infantry divisions driven by the reserve be stopped from attacking the general direction of Zvenigorodka from the Boguslav area in order to prevent enemy tanks and motorized divisions from attacking the 6th Army Advance from the rear. And the situation of my left wing army is getting worse and worse.They retreated farther and farther south. Attempts to establish communication with them by circuitous routes also yielded no appreciable results.Representatives of the Front Command had to fly over the vast enemy-occupied territory by plane to barely get there.The command of the operations of these troops by the Front Command became more and more difficult every day.But to make matters worse we could not supply the 6th and 12th armies from our bases.We had to ask the chief of the Southern Front more and more frequently to give these two armies some ammunition and fuel.This abnormal situation compelled C. M. Budyonny to send the following telegram to the Chief of General Staff on the morning of July 25: "All attempts by the 6th and 12th Armies to break out of the encirclement to the east and northeast have been unsuccessful. The situation demands that as soon as possible Withdraw these two armies to the southeast. For this, I consider it necessary to transfer the 6th and 12th armies to the commander of the Southern Front and ask him to withdraw them to Talinoye, Khrystinovka, Uman Territory. The reason why we take this measure is not only because it is necessary to organize a closer coordination between the 6th and 12th Army Groups and the right wing of the Southern Front, but also because of the need to improve command and material support. Please approve this determination from the headquarters.” As usually happens when B. C. Zhukov handles the problem, the approval of the headquarters came down immediately: the 6th and 12th armies were transferred to the southern front. Let's talk about it first.It should be noted that these two armies fought valiantly against the heavy onslaught of the enemy.However, the struggle was waged under extremely unfavorable conditions.Our army fell into the encirclement of the enemy.Can it be considered, as some comrades think, that this is due to the transfer of the 6th and 12th armies from one front to the other?Of course not.I am convinced that, had these two armies continued to be under the command of our Front, their situation would have been even more difficult due to the lack of communications and supplies. Although the base camp allowed the transfer of the 6th and 12th armies to the southern front, it still asked us not to weaken the counterattack on our left flank in order to prevent the enemy from continuing to advance to the rear of the retreating army.This task, as before, was undertaken by the 26th Army.In order to enable the commander of the army to concentrate all his energies on such a difficult task, General Kirponos decided that the 64th Rifle Corps would no longer be under his command, but, like all the forces defending the Kyiv approach, would be directly subordinate to the head of the front. Since then, General G. F. Kostenko and his headquarters have made a truly enormous effort to stop the enemy's desperate advance on the banks of the Dnieper and to aid the 6th and 12th Armies of the Southern Front, which were in deteriorating conditions. .He cannot be blamed for the failure of the army commander to finally complete the task: he has very few troops at his disposal. On the night of July 28, Captain Sarakucha, the staff officer of the Operations Department, sent me a combat report to sign and said that the new chief of staff of the Front Army had arrived.I had known that General Pulkayev had been summoned to headquarters, but I hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. I came to the office of the Chief of Staff of the Front Army.Purkayev sat at the table, and next to him sat a rather young dark-haired general.He has a broad, expressive face.The dark eyes were attentive and inquiring. I introduced myself.The general stood up deftly, shook hands with me, and replied: "Tupikov." This is the new Chief of Staff of the Front Army. I already know that Major General Vasily Ivanovich Tupikov enlisted in 1922.Graduated from Frunze Military Academy. In 1939 he headed the Kharkov Military District Command.On the eve of the war, he served as military attache in Germany, from where he returned to his motherland with difficulty. He had a detailed knowledge of the tactics and operational views of the fascist generals.We were soon convinced of this, because he foresaw the course of the front's battle better than any of us.It's a shame people don't always listen to him. Vasily Ivanovich smiled kindly and said: "Someone on the General Staff has spoken to me about you, Ivan Khristoforovich. I think we will get to know each other kindly in the course of our work. And now I want to ask you comradely: If I lose my temper, don't feel Wronged. I would like to say in advance that if there is something in my determination that makes you doubt, you must speak up. I like my subordinates to obey orders rather than reluctantly carry out orders." General Pulkayev did not take part in the conversation, and quietly packed his belongings into his purse. "Now I make my first request to you." The new chief of staff continued, looking me in the eye carefully. "Maxim Alexievich will introduce me to the entire leadership of the headquarters. And you will try to keep me informed ... but you know," he added, as if to beg pardon, "I've been exhausted since coming to you, and I can barely stand. I want to see the situation when I'm clear. I'm going to recover a little from the trip. So, please come to me tomorrow morning at four o'clock with your report .” I knocked on the chief of staff's door exactly at the appointed time.no answer.The door was ajar, and the general was sleeping with his arms stretched out on the cot.I tried to wake him up, but couldn't.And I can't remember when I took a break: the situation at the front was so tense that I couldn't even talk about sleep.Since the chief of staff is resting, let me take a breath too.I lay down on the sofa here.I was awakened by bursts of anti-aircraft gunfire and rumbling explosions.This is another attack by enemy aviation.Suddenly, I heard through a deafening noise: What will the future hold for me? My gaze peers out... I half-opened my eyes in bewilderment.The new Chief of Staff was striding up and down the office, humming thoughtfully: Will I drink the bullet and fall, Or will the bullet fly aside? ... ① -------- ① This is the poem that Lensky chanted on the eve of the duel in Pushkin's famous book "Evgeny Onegin". ——Translator's Note. "Indeed," I thought, stretching, "will the next bomb hit our roof, or will it 'fly aside'?" The rumble of anti-aircraft guns continued for a long time, while the explosion of aerial bombs continued one after another, the window panes jingled like complaints, the plaster was scattered from the ceiling, and the electric lights suspended from the ceiling were swinging like pendulums. Vasily Ivanovich was not yet accustomed to such surroundings, and the rumble of the air raid might have woken him up immediately.But we "experienced front soldiers" are used to the bombing, and are often exhausted after a busy day, and can sleep soundly during the enemy's air strikes.I remembered a very interesting thing.There is a staff officer in the Operations Department who wants to take a plane to the 6th Army Headquarters to perform tasks.Before going to the airport, he decided to take a short rest and asked the combat duty officer to wake him up after two hours.But just when the watchman went to call the major, the noisy air raid began.The watchman thought that the explosion of the enemy bomb would wake anyone up, and returned in peace.About fifty minutes after the enemy air strike, the bleary-eyed, disheveled major ran to the watchman, cursing. "Why are you making fun of me so shamelessly!" he cried. "I take you as a human being, please wake me up at four o'clock. And it's a quarter to five. I'm going to be late! " The panicked attendant on duty could only spread his hands: "But there was such a thunderous roar that the dead were called up. The Germans called you with bombs for half an hour. Didn't you hear?" "What? Has there been an air raid?" the major asked, and his anger turned into joy. "Okay, then it's all right. I'll just say I'm sitting in the bunker and waiting for the air raid to pass." ...I jumped up from the sofa and spread out the map on the table. "May I report it, Comrade General?" "Well, please. The Fascists won't let me sleep, but they have no right to prevent me from working." I briefly described the progress of the front army's battle since the start of the border fighting, and introduced the army's combat composition, number, campaign deployment and tasks.I learned that Colonel Bondarev, the intelligence chief of the Front Army Command, was going to report the enemy's situation in detail, so I just gave a general description of the deployment of the fascist German army, the general comparison of the forces of the two warring parties, and the current campaign goals that the Hitlerites are trying to achieve in front of me.I have described in more detail the situation of the various armies of the front in recent days and the tasks they will complete in the near future. General Tupikov listened attentively to my report and at the same time studied the map intently. "Yeah, it's complicated," he said thoughtfully.Then he talked about the 26th Army and the 64th Infantry Army. In his view, it is they that are now preventing Hitler's High Command from storming Kyiv, and preventing it from concentrating all its forces against the retreating "6th and 12th Armies to the south. Therefore, the enemy is driving General Kostenko's army out of There will be no quiet until the Dnieper is crossed. We are not in a position to strengthen these divisions. But they must be well prepared to resist the German surprise attack. I brought to the attention of the Chief of Staff that the 26th Army was now on the defensive with almost all its forces, and was only attacking certain sections of the left flank. "The result became like this," Tupikov immediately echoed, "now the chief of the army group is at a loss: the order to switch to the defense has not been issued, and the original offensive order has not been cancelled. Therefore, its army is now Actually defending, even retreating in some places, but also trying to show some kind of 'offensive spirit'. This duality needs to end and give it a clear order." Together with Tupikov I drew up a draft battle order: "Send to the Military Council of the 26th Army. The enemy is concentrating its basic forces in the areas of Karapeshi, Boguslav, and Tetiyevka in order to advance to the Kanev crossings. The positions we occupy and your forces should be fully guaranteed to smash the enemy And to block the enemy's way out of the Dnieper. For this, it is only necessary for all the members of the army (from you to each soldier) to establish a common belief that it is better to move to the east bank alive and give up the west bank to the enemy. At the cost of their lives to prevent the enemy from approaching the Dnieper. Note that the tenacity of defensive fire, determined to hit the last bullet, must be combined with active counter-assaults, especially those of your cavalry. I order: smash the enemy's attempt to rush to the Dnieper River, and continue to tenaciously hold the areas you occupy. " After I typed up the document, I sent it to the chief of staff, the commander, and members of the military committee in turn for signature. After signing the order, Kirponos asked me: "Have you met the members of the new military committee?" "No, I haven't seen it yet." "Then now is your chance. You put his signature under the order and report to him." Yevgeny Pavlovich Lykov, member of the 2nd Military Council of the Front, division political commissar, came to us shortly after the death of H. H. Vashukin.But from the moment he arrived he was so completely absorbed in poorly organized logistics and reserve training that he was hardly seen at the command post.When he was at the front headquarters, I went to the army again.In this way, I did not get to know him. I know that Lykov was a member of the Military Committee of the Central Asian Military District before he came to us.I was expecting to see a seasoned and decorated political cadre who had begun his fighting career from the days of the Civil War.But as soon as I stepped into the office, I was stunned by the door.The man who rose from the table to meet me was quite a young man.The military uniform with belts tightly wrapped his short but strong figure.Where had I seen this red face with the slightly upturned nose, mischievous light gray eyes, and thick fair hair?remember!It was still in the summer of 1933, when I was studying at the Military Academy, and I was doing an internship in the 1st Ukrainian Red Cossack Cavalry Division.Lykov was a very young political worker at the time, a counselor of the political department of the division, no older than twenty-five or six years old.I remember when he kindly let me live in his single room.My hospitable host was not only much younger than I was, but he was also much younger in the military, so he often asked with great interest about the Civil War and about service in the post-war years.We spent many nights in heart-to-heart talks.Lykov talked about his childhood with the sincerity of a boy, about the remote village of Katun-Karagai in a remote area in front of the Altai Mountains.He was born in December 1906 into a poor Cossack family.His childhood life was very hard, and he had to work for the wealthy village owners to earn some money when he was very young.Although he could only spare time to study in the country school, this studious and capable young man surpassed his peers in studies. In 1925, the Communist Youth League in the village elected Yevgeny as their leader.The fiery enthusiasm and superior intelligence of the secretary of the Communist Youth League of the Katong-Karagai village were discovered.He was selected to work in the Semipalatinsk State Committee of the Komsomol League. In 1928, he joined the army from here.This dexterous and strong young man from the Altai Mountains quickly won the respect of his comrades and was elected as the leader of the Communist Youth League in the regiment. Lykov studied with astonishing perseverance.At night he studied hard, and during the day he trained in classes, on the driving range, and on the shooting range.He always stood out from the crowd. The young head of the Communist Youth League was quickly transferred to work in the division's political department.It was at this time that I met him by chance for the first time in Proskurov. And now I see this old acquaintance standing before me again.In eight years, he grew from a Communist Youth League instructor to a member of the military committee of a major front army.Little has changed in his appearance.If it weren't for the two diamonds on each of his uniform collar patches, I probably couldn't help shouting: "Hello, Zhenya!" -------- ① Zhenya is the nickname of Yevgeny (the first name of Lykov). ——Translator's Note. But his reception to me was unexpectedly cold: it was as if we were meeting for the first time.He said his name, and I gave my name too.He sat me down at the table and asked me a bunch of business questions: what's the news at the front, how's the war department doing, are the people in the department good, what's their mood.It's hard to remember what we talked about, but the conversation lasted over an hour. At first, as I was somewhat annoyed at the strange forgetfulness of this old acquaintance, the answers were solemn and sketchy, but then his sincere and warm interest in all the problems of our life, his simple and comradely manner It attracted me so much that I didn't realize that I was getting more and more interested in talking. Lykoff asked about my family situation.When he learned that my family had been evacuated to Tashkent, he wrote something down in his note pad.I didn't think it made any sense at the time.Only later did I learn from letters from my wife that Lykov's young wife, Nina Martirosovna, who was living in Tashkent at the time, had taken great pains to accommodate and secure my family in the new place. After Lykov asked me about the situation, he picked up the draft combat order for the 26th Army, read it, then read it again, and meditated for a while.Then quickly signed. "The order contains more politics than combat, which is good. It calls on people not to let the enemy approach the Dnieper River under any circumstances. Every commander and fighter should establish the belief that there is no place for us beyond the Dnieper River. Our Political workers and Communist Party members will also bring this belief to the masses." When I was about to leave, I still couldn't help asking if he didn't remember me.Lykov laughed and hugged me tightly. "Of course I recognize you, Ivan Khristoforovich, and I'm glad to see you. But work comes first. When it's easier at the front, we'll celebrate our reunion in style." This very likeable, spirited man soon became beloved by everyone for his organizational genius and unfailingly genuine concern for people.He will not be indifferent to any problem, but always strives to study the essence of the problem.He is a positive and proactive leader. The steadfastness of our army and its uninterrupted approach to the enemy in Kyiv -------- The counterattack broke the plan of the Fascist High Command.During the July battles, General Halder noted in his diary that the campaign of Army Group 'South' was becoming more and more out of order... In the northern sector of the Army Group's front, far more forces were being diverted than expected many. "%%%Hitler's high command urgently ordered its army to attack Kyiv from the southwest. The German Sixth Army was reinforced by eight more divisions: three from the reserve and four from Schweedler, who was attacking south of Kyiv. The general's group. The commander of the army group, General Reichenau, changed the deployment of troops. The 29th Army, which was composed of a large force, was incorporated into the assault group directed to the southwest of Kyiv. The second echelon of the campaign was also hastily transferred here. By the end of July, the enemy had concentrated more than two dozen divisions in close proximity in Kyiv. When preparing for a new assault, the Fascist German High Command not only planned to capture Kyiv, but also planned to join the "Central" Army Group Mozyr Group after cutting off our 5th Army from the Dnieper River.Halder's diary of July 20th attests to this: "The campaign carried out by the Reichenau army should be aimed at driving the enemy from the Dnieper. On July 25th and 26th, it will be possible to cooperate with the operation in Mozi In coordination with the 35th Army in the ri area." But Potapov's army prevented the enemy from realizing this attempt.Therefore, ten days later, as General A. Filippi of Hitler's army wrote, the German Army General Command reiterated the original mission: "The attack by the Sixth Army against the Russian Fifth Army operating in the marshes northwest of Kyiv, in order to prevent the retreat of the latter to the north bank of the Pripyat and to destroy it west of the Dnieper." Despite the concentration of the enemy's heavy forces, every step forward has a high price to pay.It has lost soldiers and technical equipment, but is effectively staying put.Before the two fortified areas of Korosten and Kyiv, the enemy did not advance at all until the end of July.And south of Kyiv, the enemy's 6th Army and the huge forces of the 1st Tank Group were involved in exhausting fighting.Here our 26th Army successfully repelled all attempts by the enemy to advance to the crossings of the Dnieper near Rzhshev and Kanev.The front near Kyiv is still very stable.This front extends from 15 to 20 kilometers south of the Kyiv-Korossky railway line to the Irpin River, passes along the left bank of the river, and then encircles Vasilikov, Boguslav, Medvin, Smela . We understand that the enemy will not rest on his laurels.The reconnaissance department reported that the enemy was concentrating its forces north of Betserkovy.Nearly seven fascist divisions have been found here.Our army has been warned and is preparing to counterattack. On July 30, the enemy carried out a surprise attack.The 64th Rifle Corps, tasked with covering the Bezerkovi-Kyiv road, was in a particularly difficult position: nearly five enemy divisions attacked here.In the afternoon, General H. H. Rogozny, the chief of staff who temporarily commanded the corps, reported that the corps was under attack from superior enemy forces.The enemy is making a major assault on the center of the army.Twenty-five to thirty bombers were constantly circling over our defensive positions.Massive assaults by enemy aviation and artillery disrupted communications.Our army fought fiercely against the enemy, but unfortunately the 165th Infantry Division lost command of its units and was broken through frontally.Nevertheless, some elements of the division continued to hold their positions tenaciously, although the enemy, wedged in the depths of the defenses, was attacking them from the rear. Before midnight on July 30, we had a clear understanding of the situation of the various corps of the army. We found out that the three fascist divisions were facing the junction of the 165th and 175th infantry divisions at the narrow front of Pinchuki and Vinnitsa Stavi. Major Assault.It is here that the enemy is rushing desperately towards Kyiv from the south along the Betzerkovi-Kyiv highway.The commander of the 165th Infantry Division gave up command of the troops, and his poor command led to serious consequences.Several battalions were cut off from the main force and are now fighting surrounded. When the Chief of Staff of the Front Army reported this situation, the commander glanced at me: "It's your cavalry colleague again. He crossed the Dnieper like a tortoise before, but now, let's just let him go. We should have replaced him with a more courageous commander." General Rogozny asked the commander of the front for permission to withdraw the army to the pre-constructed area.Kirponos considered the map for a long time, and finally said to General Tupikov: "This army is now unable to restore its original posture. But it cannot be retreated. It must be helped to hold on to the areas it currently occupies." "Yes." The chief of staff agreed. "However, we should ask Rogozny to help the besieged battalions to break out. These battalions are only two to three kilometers away from the main force. Let them take advantage of the darkness. The army should hold on. If it retreats to the rear area, it will immediately give way to the enemy The road to the Dnieper Valley crossing is open." But with what to help this army? So the air force commander was called.Kirponos ordered him to send as many attack and fighter planes as possible to support and cover the corps. At two o'clock at night, we conveyed the order to the army commander: stick to the occupied positions and prevent the enemy from continuing to advance towards the crossings of the Dnieper River.We informed him that two armored trains were being dispatched from Kyiv to his command, and that from morning the corps would be supported by the aviation of the Front. Regrettably, the situation in this important direction of ours is getting worse by the hour.After the fascists discovered the weak point of our defense, they deployed heavy troops to carry out a fierce attack.Separated units of the 165th Infantry Division were forced northeastward in the early hours of 31 July.This exposed the flank of the 175th Division of the Neighboring Infantry and forced it to retreat as well, lest it be routed. Before August 1, the enemy deployed new troops to reinforce the 71st and 95th German infantry divisions attacking here.Under the enemy's increasing onslaught, the units of the 64th Army had to retreat to the Kyiv fortification area while fighting.General Mattkin's small detachment also fell back while fighting for every inch of ground. According to the reports we receive from the Army on a regular basis, we can see a high degree of self-sacrifice among our commanders and fighters.Colonel C. M. Glovatsky's 175th Infantry Division, formed in the Kabardino-Balkar region, showed particular firmness.People were beaten to the last drop of blood.Captain B.M. Mazhenkov, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 632nd Infantry Regiment, continued to command the battle after being injured.The wounded took the battalion commander as an example, and none of them who could take up arms left their posts.Fifteen fascist tanks attacked the battalion, behind the tanks was a dense infantry skirmish line.The fighters gave the enemy the blow it deserved.The Hitlerites lost four tanks and retreated back this time. A. G. Yevdokimov, the political commissar of the Kyiv fortification area who witnessed these battles at the time, also spoke highly of the actions of the 632nd Infantry Regiment.He spoke enthusiastically of a battery covering the bridge over the Irpen with fire.The artillery knocked out a tank and scattered the infantry following it.The Hitlerites began to implement a detour, desperately advancing forward, and finally hit the left bank.我军分队退到了较有利的地区。那门火炮却还留在原地，因为炮兵们要掩护退却。在新地区站稳脚跟的分队开始对敌人射击，以便让保障退却的那个分队有可能撤回。炮兵连长穆拉维约夫中尉派几名驭手去拉那门火炮和勇敢的炮班。马挽具向发射阵地疾驰。尽管只剩下一个叫A·E·费久宁的瞄准手还活着，火炮却还一直在射击。发射阵地四周爆炸接连不断。瞄准手也倒下了——他腿部受了伤，火炮不响了。驭手们催马前进。他们看见费久宁在牺牲的同志间爬行和收集手榴弹。驭手来不及赶到了，因为法西斯分子已冲到火炮前，云集在流血过多的瞄准手旁。就在这时，传来了爆炸声。费久宁以生命的代价消灭了大约十个敌兵。爆炸引起的恐慌，使驭手得以退回。 这个团的机枪手G·H·马尔科夫在掩护同志们退却时打到了最后一息。他的副射手牺牲了，自己也受了重伤，可是机枪仍然打呀，打呀，不让法西斯分子抬头。 第26集团军所属兵团在步兵第64军左面坚守，在这里，战士、指挥员和政治工作人员都发扬了异常勇敢的精神。一些分队常陷入敌人的合围。但就是在这种时候他们也继续奋战，直到突围回来或在战斗中牺牲。 步兵第227师经受住了猛烈突击，敌人一个摩托化师得到五十辆坦克和轰炸机大编队的支援，在该师的一个地段进攻。我军各部队顺利击退了敌人的猛攻。所有炮兵，包括高射炮兵，都对坦克进行了射击。报告中提到了E·H·普罗科菲耶夫中尉的名字。他的炮兵连指战员用火炮进行直接瞄准射击，打退了好几次冲击，消灭了敌人六辆坦克。 兵力优势并不能帮助法西斯分子象希特勒统帅部要求的那样把第26集团军赶下第聂伯河。我军守住了左岸各登陆场。 我军飞行员在这困难的日子里又一次奋不顾身地支援了地面军队。 8月1日，我亲眼看到了基辅西北接近地进行的激烈空中战斗。我们的汽车正绕着弹坑缓慢行驶，敌机突然出现了。路上顿时空荡荡的了：车辆、行人都想躲进树林去。我有急事，因此我们决定闯过去。说不定会走运的！我看了看天空。只见一大群“容克”飞机正带着凶险的轰鸣声在低空直接向我们飞来。我数了数，大约有五十架。我想到过几分钟后它们就要把携带的全部杀人炸弹猛扔到城市里去，感到很可怕。 看来，没有什么东西能挡住这凶残的机群。我们空怀愤怒看着它。可这是什么呢？在飞机前方，到处迸发着高射炮弹爆炸形成的白色烟团。飞机的战斗队形有点乱了。这时，我军一个歼击机小编队象闪电刺进乌云一样冲进了法西斯机群。第一架“容克”掉下来了，接着是第二架，第三架……短短的时间内就有十六架敌机带着熊熊火焰栽下地来。其余的狼狈掉头逃走了。 另一次搏斗我是在第聂伯河桥梁上空看到的。在这里，法西斯轰炸机已经有“梅塞施米特”歼击机掩护了。我方有几架歼击机去拦截敌人。它们分割了轰炸机队形，几乎顶着敌机开了火。法西斯歼击机赶来救“容克”飞机。可是三架出色的“米格”挡住了它们。我们的飞行员行动迅猛、果敢，大胆进行正面攻击。激烈的空中搏斗持续时间并不长，法西斯分子的神经却支持不住。开始是一架，接着其它几架都跟着向西逃遁了。 我曾问方面军空军参谋长F·C·什库林少将，在桥梁上空打得这么漂亮的飞行员是哪里来的。他说他们来自B·B·泽连佐夫上校的防空航空兵第36师。他补充说，我们的飞行员已习惯于进行那种以寡敌众的搏斗。 直到8月3日前，敌军才倾全力进抵基辅筑垒地域南地境的基本防御阵地前沿。希特勒分子紧随我退却部队从行进间突入筑垒地域的希望落空了。 步兵第175师在别洛戈罗德卡东南占领防御，而马特金将军的支队则在第聂伯河畔姆雷吉镇四周设防。方面军首长命令罗戈兹内将军把这两个兵团交给筑垒地域，而令军属部队和步兵第165师横渡到第聂伯河东岸，与摩托化兵第7师共同在那里组织防御，不让敌人在基辅以南强渡该河。 战斗没有信息。筑垒地域独立机枪第28营各永备发射点守备部队和波捷欣上校的步兵第147师部队一次又一次打退了敌人的冲击。在这里指挥我军行动的是筑垒地域副警备长切尔诺夫上校和副参谋长利霍夫中校。人们在最困难的地段总能看到他们的身影。 这时，第26集团军正继续抗击向勒日谢夫地域和卡涅夫地域第聂伯河渡口急进的德军强大集团的猛攻。西南方向总司令考虑到切尔卡瑟登陆场特别重要，命令方面军司令员于8月3日前将刚由机械化第8军司令部扩编而成的新编第38集团军领率机关前调到切尔卡瑟。战功卓著的该军军长D·A·里亚贝舍夫中将被任命为集团军司令员。在切尔卡瑟以南防守登陆场和第聂伯河东岸的各师归他指挥。 方面军首长和司令部也密切注视着基辅西北接近地的战事。不出我们所料，法西斯分子在这里也准备了突击，企图对我第5集团军及其左邻步兵第27军进行报复，因为它们从北面和东北面侧击扑向基辅的敌军集团，是对它的严重威胁。希特勒分子在第5集团军和步兵第27军接合部发起了进攻。目的很明显，就是分割我右翼军队与第聂伯河的联系，并在该河两岸科罗斯坚地域将其合围。这样，敌人就可以从北面迂回基辅，在此强渡第聂伯河，而我军在整个基辅方向的战役态势马上就会急剧恶化。 德军第6集团军司令在进攻地带几乎构成了三倍于我的兵力优势。法西斯分子既不吝惜炮弹，也不吝惜航空炸弹。冲击接连不断地继续着，但不能突破苏军各师的防御。仅在个别地段，敌人才可能推进。不过，法西斯部队未能深入第5集团军后方。负责警卫我最主要后方目标的铁道兵分队和内务人民委员部第4师分队，多次同第27军部队一起挡住了它们的去路。 我想再一次用美好的语言谈谈铁道兵。要知道这些人跟打仗似乎是不相干的，他们的任务只限于修复被破坏的铁路线。可是一旦需要，他们每一个人都表现出自己是个勇敢善战的士兵。 有一列由几节修理作业车厢编成的线路修复车从马林开出时，碰上了法西斯坦克和满载摩托化步兵的汽车纵队。谁都没有命令连长（该连编入独立铁道兵第32营）E·C·利亚茨基上尉进入战斗。他是主动机断行事的。这正是战斗条件下十分需要的那种主动性。上尉没有躲开危险，而是带领部下迎着敌人纵队冲上去。线路修复车当然立即被敌坦克炮弹击毁了，但铁道兵们已跳下了平车，在公路旁占领了防御。他们人数不多，武器是一些步枪和手榴弹，可是一直没有后退。敌纵队停下了，坦克和摩托化步兵合围了铁道兵。连长利亚茨基腹部负了伤。仍继续指挥战斗。 第32营代理营长C·A·海柳克大尉得知发生的事情 后，命令B·A·邦达连科上尉的连搭乘另一线路修复车，由他亲自率领急忙前去援救被围者。营政委B·C·莫扎罗夫和参谋长B·C·罗曼年科也同他一起前往。他们在路上碰上了法西斯坦克。该车也遭到了直射。海柳克带领幸存的战士们终于冲到被围者那里。大尉只剩下一辆带挂车的自动轨道车。他把伤员安置到车上后，让它在警卫下开往马林，而自己则试图率领留下的战士冲到捷捷列夫站，以便同B·C·苏什科大尉的铁道兵营会合。但没有成功。于是他便返回，在马林接近地捷捷列夫河铁路桥旁占领防御。情况很困难：哪里是自己人，哪里是敌人，海柳克都不清楚。大尉命令做好炸桥准备后，便试图与旅司令部联络，但线路已经被切断。只能与驻佩尼亚泽维奇的战斗警戒取得联络。不久，那里打来了电话：“法西斯坦克和摩托化步兵正在接近，我们在战斗。”电话筒里可以听到冲锋枪点射的哒哒声和炮弹爆炸的轰隆声，联络中断了。海柳克向车站派去了侦察兵。侦察组长报告，战斗警戒的最后几个指战员在抗击敌坦克和摩托化步兵的冲击时，都英勇牺牲了。 过了不久，法西斯分子逼近海柳克的分队，并实施猛烈射击。铁道兵们炸毁了铁桥，并在短距离上使用反坦克枪，打得敌坦克冒出了浓烟烈火。 敌人没料到那样顽强的反击，急忙退下去了。然后，法西斯分子绕过被破坏的铁桥，强渡了该河。铁道兵占领环形防御，继续进行斗争。四周都是森林。法西斯分子躲在树后，不断逼近该分队阵地。坦克和冲锋枪手扑向苏军战士稀疏的散兵线。但每次都扔下燃烧的坦克和被击毙的人退了回去。 傍晚，营政委瓦西里·莫扎罗夫在白刃格斗中牺牲，海柳克大尉也受了严重震伤，在昏迷中被抬到已有其他伤员躺着的养路工房里。夜幕降临后，承担指挥的参谋长罗曼年科决定突围。大家用手抬着伤员。可是利亚茨基上尉请求把他放下，因为哪怕最微小的震动都使他疼痛难忍。他把罗曼年科叫到跟前。 “大尉同志，请把冲锋枪放到我身旁，检查一下弹盘里有没有子弹。把手榴弹捆在一起。” 同志们知道反正无法将上尉活着带走，便默默收集了几颗手榴弹捆在一起，检查了导火管。大家把集束手榴弹放在垂危的上尉右手旁，把冲锋枪放在他身边。 利亚茨基看着参谋长，又看看胸前。罗曼年科明白了。他解开了他上衣的口袋，小心掏出了党证和身份证。利亚茨基感激地点了点头。罗曼年科带领战士们发起冲击。他们用刺刀和手榴弹为自己杀开了一条血路。 当分队已经没有危险时，远处传来了射击声。在冲锋枪不停的哒哒声中，可以听到稀疏的短点射：射击者在节约子弹。然后对射停止了。过了一会，传来了沉闷的爆炸声。罗曼年科摘下了帽子，战士们也照他的样子做了。 “是呀，如果要死，那就只能这样：死得象一个人！”有人低声说。战士们继续前进。 我们在方面军司令部是由参加战斗的人那里听到这个故事的。他们的详细叙述深深印在我的心里。 阻挡敌军部队去路的全部分队，就是这样顽强和英勇作战的。结果，法西斯军队终于没能执行其统帅部的命令——前出第聂伯河并切断我第5集团军与西南方面军其余兵力的联系。