On the Arbat Street in Moscow there is a striking eighteen-story building with white marble veneer, where the center of the USSR defense, the seat of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

The grumpy Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union, Marshal Yazov, in his office on the eighteenth floor, pointed the microphone of the telephone to his mouth, exhaled with the air from his lungs and the trembling of his throat, made the loudest sound that a human being could make.

"Hey, Air Force Commander Marshal Yevgeny?"

"What is the matter? My Comrade Air Force General! Have you collected the potatoes and smashed them? The order is clear and unmistakable, and the MiG-29 aircraft will be introduced to the Chinese comrades! Why are you talking about the Su-27? Why, do you need me, the Minister of Defense, to explain to you personally, or do you plan to change the resolution of the Politburo?"

"Listen, don't meddle in things you shouldn't be in charge of! Remember, here, the only things that are taller than the Arbat are the Politburo and the Sun!"

……

"We are asking for the purchase of Su-27 fighters, and we will not consider any other Soviet aircraft besides this one!"

Secretary Huang was really loud when he said this, but in an angle that only his own people could see, the strength of his hand clenched into a fist made his skin tense without even a trace of wrinkles.

Secretary Huang, who said this, undoubtedly took a great political risk. If the Soviet side resolutely refuses to agree to sell the Su-27, then the responsibility for the failure of this rare arms purchase opportunity will fall on him.

Opposite him, Belousov, chairman of the State Committee of the Military Industry and deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, looked as usual as if the request to the Chinese side was as simple as an extra glass of vodka.

But in reality, Yevgeny's performance had already boiled the central organs of the USSR.

The USSR Ministry of Aviation Industry, the Sukhoi Design Bureau and the Mikoyan Design Bureau were all somewhat caught off guard by this contingency. Some were excited, some were surprised, and even more were indignant at Yevgeny's performance.

But things have happened, the impact has been made, and there is no going back anyway.

No, His Excellency Marshal Yevgeny fulfilled his historical mission, and Comrade Belousov, Chairman of the State Committee of the Military Industry, became the main person in charge of this negotiation instead of him.

However, Comrade Belousov did not mercilessly veto this "excessive" demand of the Chinese side, as Yazov thought.

"We can understand the demands of the Chinese comrades, but the Su-27 is our most advanced fighter. Based on the strategic security considerations of the Soviet Union, we could not accede to such a request. ”

"The Soviet Union should be clear that with China's military strength and strategic environment, it is impossible to take the initiative to attack the Soviet Union. Secretary Huang said: "We in China are peace-loving countries, and the Su-27 will only be used to defend our skies." ”

"I'm sorry, but I think this matter needs more research. Although Belousov refused in words, his attitude in his speech made people feel that he was not so resolute in refusing.

"We still have a lot of time, so don't rush it. He said to Secretary Huang: "In this way, there is a cocktail party in the Foreign Military Cooperation Bureau tonight, what can we talk about in a slightly more relaxed place, isn't it?"

Huh, the Bureau of Foreign Military Cooperation, Hu Wenhai is a little familiar with this name, as if he had heard it somewhere. He touched Secretary Huang's shoes with his foot and asked him to agree.

"Well, I guess we both need to look into it. Secretary Huang nodded: "Cultivating some friendship in a relaxed occasion will be a good lubricant for negotiations." ”

So the day's negotiations ended, Comrade Belousov withdrew with the negotiation team, and the Chinese delegation gathered in a circle.

"I said Secretary Huang, what about the 'Yorsh' I want you to find specifically?" Hu Wenhai looked at the eyes of the members of the regiment and said with a smile: "Don't look at it, you don't know that the Foreign Military Cooperation Bureau can call back to China, ask the old comrades of the older generation who have cooperated with the Soviet Union in military industrial projects, and see what they are good at the banquet? Hurry up and take out the prepared stomach medicine, comrades, the motherland needs your stomach tonight!"

The Directorate of Foreign Military Cooperation of the USSR was subordinate to the General Staff, its responsibilities were recognizable by its name, and any sale of military equipment and technology to foreign countries was subject to the approval of this Directorate.

Almost the vast majority of Belousov's negotiating team were members of this bureau. A few are members of the State Committee of the Military Industry, that is, representatives of the Mikoyan and Sukhoi sides.

Whether they choose Mikoyan or Sukhoi, it is obvious that they cannot make their own decisions, and it is the generals and colonels in the Foreign Military Cooperation Bureau who really make the decision.

At night, Moscow did not feel dark at all because of the snow, which scattered the light of the moon and the street lamps and the light that came through the windows.

When the Chinese delegation arrived at the guest house of the Soviet General Staff in the snow, there were already people waiting at the door.

"The Chinese comrades are here, please come in, it's really cold enough. ”

The man standing in the doorway was not wearing a military uniform, but a gray suit. The hair is combed back to the back, although it is a square face, but it is rare to have the handsomeness of a mature man.

"Oops, you're so polite. Secretary Huang hurriedly pushed open the door and asked this person to walk towards the restaurant together: "Seeing that you are not young, why are you embarrassed to wait for us at the door." By the way, I don't know what you call it?"

The greeter smiled softly and said, "I'm Mikhail Simonov." ”

Poof――

Hu Wenhai, who was behind Secretary Huang, widened his eyes and looked up and down at this Mikhail Simonov, who would have thought that he was the famous "father of the flanker"!

"Do you say that you are Mikhail Simonov, the Mikhail Simonov of Sukhoi?"

"That's me. ”

Mikhail looked more like an intellectual than a soldier, probably thinking for a long time, so that his forehead exuded a serious temperament from between his eyebrows. His eyebrows were full of wisdom, and the corners of his mouth were slightly pursed but with a hint of liveliness. It can be seen that Mikhail must have been a handsome guy when he was young.

"It's—"

Hu Wenhai couldn't help but shake his head and said: "How can you personally do the work of welcoming guests, it's too flattering." ”

Even in the Soviet Union, Mikhail Simonov was a great scientist at the level of a national treasure. A person like him doesn't need to be so condescending, even in front of the map.

Mikhail waved his hand again and again, and said with a smile: "I heard that the Chinese delegation must purchase Su-27 fighters, it should be said that I am flattered." ”

"The Su-27 is an excellent, no, it should be said that it is a classic fighter that will go down in history, and your wisdom is deeply admired. ”

Hu Wenhai stretched out his hand: "I haven't introduced myself yet, my name is Hu Wenhai, and I am a lover of the Su-27." ”

"You are the richest man in the world in China, I really didn't expect you to be so young. Mikhail and Hu Wenhai clasped their hands together and said with a smile: "It's a joy to have the richest man in the world fascinated by my work." ”

"A classic fighter is alive, and I can feel the industrial beauty and surging power contained in the body of the Su-27. ”

"Then please bring it to China. Mikhail let go of Hu Wenhai's hand, and even smiled at the corner of his mouth: "Of course, I personally can't do anything about the fate of the Su-27." ”

"It's okay, I'm prepared, full of firepower!"

As the Chinese delegation entered the restaurant, there was a round of enthusiastic applause in the restaurant. In the star-studded dining room, a group of generals and colonels applauded the arrival of the Chinese delegation.

Belousov greeted him with a wine glass, and tonight's comrade chairman was completely different from the day, and he smiled very casually after raising his glass.

"Come, let's raise a glass to welcome our guests, comrades from China!" Behind Belousov, a group of Soviet officers raised their glasses and poured the wine into their mouths with a burst of ula.

"Why, do the Chinese comrades also come to express your enthusiasm? In our Soviet Union, drinking all the wine in our hands is the greatest respect for our master!"

"Come, send wine!" The Soviet officers made up their minds to give the stubborn Chinese a dismounted, bear-like strong officer, and shouted to the waiter in a roaring voice: "Fill up the Chinese comrades with wine, don't bring up the wine that can't be lit, that's not what we Soviets drink!"

"Come on, let the comrades of the Soviet Union see if we are heroes or cowards!" Hu Wenhai took the lead in raising his wine glass, and the Chinese delegation and the Soviet officer corps who had just walked into the restaurant were like two opposing armies.

Hiss -

Hu Wenhai, who usually barely drinks alcohol, was so spicy by the 68-degree vodka that he almost couldn't open his eyes, but this first glass of wine was drunk in the end.

"Secretary Huang, this battle can't be passively defended, I think we still have to take the initiative to attack, concentrate on destroying the enemy's living forces, and we have to send our killer weapon to play!"

Secretary Huang's gaze turned twice around the Soviet officer corps and his own people, and nodded with deep sympathy. When it comes to drinking, the racial superiority of the Russians is there, and hard fighting is not the work of a wise man.

"We feel the enthusiasm of the Soviet comrades, so please feel our enthusiasm too!"

As he spoke, a thin bamboo pole-like officer came out of the Chinese delegation, and the two bars and four stars on his shoulders indicated that he was a colonel. I saw him silently walk to the wine table in the restaurant, and seriously threw a glass of liquor into a large glass of beer.

Seeing this action, many people in the Soviet officer corps suddenly changed their faces. This trick had a name, colloquially known as a depth charge, but in the USSR it had another name: Yorsh!

(To be continued.) )