Chapter 75 Blind date?
In general, for the Soviet Union, the past half month seemed to be full of bad news, but mixed in there were also some slightly encouraging good news.
Intelligence also obtained by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs showed that on October 8, the German troops on the northern front attacking Leningrad finally completed their clothing changes. However, the clothing they replaced was autumn clothing that had been shipped . At this time, the temperature in the Leningrad area had dropped to around 0 degrees.
According to the analysis of the intelligence department, it would take at least until mid-November or even the end of November for the Germans' winter clothes to arrive, and the cold weather would become the second powerful enemy the Germans had to face besides the Soviet army.
Furthermore, intelligence analysts believed that the German army's logistical supplies had been burdened with an almost unbearable load as its front line advanced eastward. Next, the German army might find it difficult to undertake the tactics of rapid breakthroughs and outflanking maneuvers similar to those in the early stages of the war.
In addition, after the fall of Kiev, the internal guard's hidden agents once again blew up the original city hall building on Khreshchatyk Street in a sabotage operation. Nearly 20 representatives of the German occupation zone affairs bureau and a group of military generals were killed in the explosion.
Afterwards, as a revenge action, the German army began a large-scale massacre of prisoners of war and civilians in the Babi Yar Gorge near Kiev. From October 3 to October 11, in just a few days, the German army massacred nearly 20,000 prisoners of war and civilians in the gorge.
The most direct consequence of this action was that several Ukrainian National Liberation Organization armed forces active near Kiev, which were originally hostile to the Soviet army and welcomed the Germans, launched a rebellion against the German army in mid-October. These separatists who were originally committed to attacking the Soviet army began to point their guns at the German army. Their guerrillas frequently exchanged fire with the German army in Cherkasy, Korosten, Zhitomir and other places, destroying railways, bridges, oil depots, and even train stations heavily guarded by the German army.
There is no doubt that the armed forces of these Ukrainian nationalists are also the main targets of the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs. Although they are still enemies of the Soviet army, they also attack the German army. Generally speaking, this is definitely a good thing for the Soviet army.
One is the lengthening of the front line, and the other is harassment behind enemy lines. When these two factors come together, the difficulties faced by the German army are probably not much easier than those faced by the Soviet army.
Perhaps it was for this reason that before the Battle of Kiev was over, that is, not long after Yuri entered the academy for further studies, the Supreme Command issued combat orders to the Western Front, Bryansk Front and Reserve Front, requiring them to try to launch a counterattack against the German army on the central front. At the same time, in the southern area, the Southern Front was required to ensure the security of the Crimean Peninsula, especially the security of Sevastopol, because it was the base of the Soviet Air Force and the Black Sea Fleet's attack on the Romanian oil field.
Well, the current war issues on the front lines have little to do with Yuri. After all, he is still studying in the academy, and until today, his superiors have not planned to let him stop his studies and go to the front line to command the battle.
He went to Moscow today not to accept any combat mission or transfer order. Funny enough, the reason he went to Moscow was because he received a call from the Political Department of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, which asked him to attend an event at the Petrov Theater in Moscow tonight.
The Communist Youth League of the Soviet Union was very formal. Not every teenager had the opportunity to join. Its review procedures were relatively complex and strict, and it organized activities regularly. Yuri joined the Communist Youth League relatively early because of his family background, but he had not participated in the activities of the league for a long time since the war began. Moreover, he had already submitted an application to join the party at the academy. If nothing unexpected happened, he would probably become a formal member of the Bolshevik Party in no time. He really couldn't figure out why the activities organized by the Central Committee of the League contacted him.
It was impossible not to attend this event, not because of the call from the Political Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, but because the person who called made it very clear that the invitation to him was personally instructed by Comrade Malenkov.
When Yuri arrived in Moscow in the drizzle, it was already close to 7 o'clock in the evening. Affected by the war, the city of Moscow seemed rather depressed. At the same time, soldiers with guns could be seen patrolling almost everywhere on the streets - the city had entered a wartime management state, and any behavior that disturbed public order would be regarded as treason. Therefore, most people would not wander the streets for no reason.
The driver was provided by the Military Committee specifically for Yuri. He was a native of Moscow and was very familiar with the city. The car entered the city ring road and headed straight for the Petrov Theatre.
Sverdlov Square seemed quiet and peaceful in the rain. If there were not several huge white airships floating above the square and an anti-aircraft position consisting of several anti-aircraft guns in the corner on the east side, no one would probably associate war with the tranquility before their eyes.
The event organized by the Political Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League tonight was obviously of a large scale. When Yuri's car entered the square, he could see from afar that the steps in front of the theater were filled with people holding umbrellas.
Yuri asked the driver to park the car a few dozen meters away from the theater. Without an umbrella, he pushed the door open, got out of the car, and jogged over.
With a brand new woolen military coat, black leather high boots and the shining epaulettes on his shoulders, Yuri looked dazzling at the moment. The most important thing was that he looked good and was definitely a standard East Slavic handsome man. In addition, he had the rank of lieutenant colonel at such a young age. Just standing in a crowd, he gave people a feeling of standing out from the crowd.
"Is that Yuri Arkhipovich? Comrade Lieutenant Colonel Kulyokov?" Yuri had just arrived when someone came running down the stairs, holding an umbrella over Yuri's head and asking with a smile on his face.
"Yes, I'm Yuri Arkhipovich." Yuri shook hands with the other party and said.
"Please follow me," said a young man who looked like a clerk. He motioned Yuri to walk in front, and surrounded him as he walked through the queue and went straight up the stairs.
"I'm the assistant of Comrade Georgy Maximilianovich Malenkov ," the young man led Yuri to the theater entrance, put away his umbrella, and said with a smile, "You can call me Vereka."
"Hello," Yuri was a little surprised. He thought this person was the clerk of tonight's event , but he didn't expect it to be Malenkov's assistant.
However, the other party obviously had no intention of making close friends with him. When introducing himself, he didn't even give his name. Yuri naturally didn't ask any more questions.
"It's like this, Comrade Yuri Arkhipovich," Vereka said as he led Yuri into the front door of the theater, "Earlier, at the banquet at the Ulen Palace, Comrade Georgy Maximilianovich Malenkov received an instruction from Comrade Stalin to pay more attention to your personal issues. During this period, Comrade Georgy Maximilianovich Malenkov has been dealing with this matter..."
When Yuri heard this, he almost tripped over the stairs under his feet.
Is Comrade Malenkov too idle? The Germans are about to attack Moscow, but instead of doing his logistical work well, he has time to think about Yuri getting married?
Yuri complained bitterly in his heart and was thinking about how to get through this damn blind date night. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration came to his mind without any warning. This flash of inspiration was like a bucket of ice-cold water, which poured down on his head and made him shiver uncontrollably.
In the following time, Yuri did not hear a word of what Vereka said. All that was rolling in his mind was the note that Qiao Liya gave him and Su Ya's face. Yes, if nothing unexpected happened, the shadow of the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs must have been mixed in this so-called blind date tonight.
The name on the note that Julia gave was Suya's. If nothing unexpected happened, from that time on, the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs had decided to keep this woman by their side as a monitor.
Everything seemed so natural. If Julia hadn't reminded him beforehand, Yuri probably wouldn't have had even a hint of doubt: a woman he had met by chance before, and met again at an event organized by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, a woman who was very beautiful and outstanding, and a subordinate organization of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League acting as a matchmaker, he wouldn't have even had the thought of refusing.
But the question is, even if I know the truth now, what can I do? Do I still have the opportunity to refuse?
Yuri believed that he might be able to refuse, or stay away from Suya and not give her the chance to get close to him, but the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs would never give up their plan to plant a nail around him - this was not directed at him, but was their tradition.
I refused this time, but it is impossible to avoid mistakes forever. When the next observer appears, I am afraid I will not get any warning.
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel Yuri? Comrade Lieutenant Colonel Yuri?" While his mind was in turmoil, Yuri had unknowingly followed Veleka to the front row on the first floor of the theater. When he came to his senses, Veleka was looking at him in surprise.
"Oh, sorry, what did you say just now?" Yuri asked, forcing a smile.
"This is your seat, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel Yuri," Vereka said with a smile, "There will be a performance later, you can watch it. If there is a female comrade you like, you can tell me and I will introduce her to you."
"Okay, thank you," Yuri nodded, suppressing his emotions and smiling.
