Soviet Headquarters – Southwestern Front, north of Sector 9KJanuary 29, 1943, 14:00 hours
The map trembled on the field table. Not from the wind, nor shaky hands—It trembled from the distant blasts still shaking the earth. Far off… but drawing closer.
Commander Borisov studied the reports, face pale, hat askew, boots still covered in frozen mud.
—"Confirmed?" he asked without raising his voice.
—"Yes, Comrade General. The Germans broke through Sector 9K. Heavy armor. Led by a Tiger."
Silence.
Commissar Sokolov leaned over the map.
—"How did they break through without infantry support?"
—"We don't know. They just… charged."
The officers exchanged looks. No one spoke. No one wanted to say what was now obvious:
The encirclement had been broken.
—
Outside a ruined village, a Soviet infantry unit ran with no coordination. Some retreated. Others dug frantically. Trucks were stuck. Tanks low on fuel. Officers shouting into the blizzard.
A captain with blood on his hands picked up a field phone:
—"This is Koltsov! They've broken through our positions! No time to regroup! They're carving through like a hot knife!"
—
15:20 hours
High command gathered inside the operations tent. Untouched vodka. Thick smoke. General Borisov spoke quietly.
—"What reserves do we have left?"
—"One battalion of semi-operational T-34s, two companies of mobile artillery, and the 284th Rifle Brigade. Nothing else."
Sokolov spat on the ground.
—"Not enough."
—"It never has been," muttered another colonel. "But we're still breathing, aren't we?"
The general looked to his aide. The decision was made.
—"Send orders to all sectors:
'Close the breach. Use everything.If we don't seal it today… the city falls tomorrow.'"
—
16:10 hours
T-34s roared forward through the snow. Trucks loaded with hollow-eyed men. Mortars, rifles, fuel drums.Anything that could move was heading toward the gap.
A Soviet officer, staring into the horizon, muttered:
—"There they are… the skull ones."
No one replied.Because they all knew:It was going to be a slaughter.