Major General Lukashenko noted that as the number of German planes increased and approached Leningrad, the pace of work at the command increased, and people became more nervous. From the occasional shouting or whispering, from the violent movements and impatient gazes, it is inevitable to feel that the people here are too nervous, but their work is impeccable.

From the fluorescent screens and maps, it can be seen that some German bombers returned without flying to their targets, and it is conceivable that it was the Soviet fighters who forced them to drop their bombs in advance. It can also be clearly seen that the German aircraft group was in disarray under the blows of Soviet anti-aircraft artillery fire.

Judging from the map of the air situation, the German planes only flew close to the airspace over Leningrad...... Later, however, it was observed that some enemy planes had broken through the anti-aircraft fire and flew over the edge of the city of Leningrad. It was already anti-aircraft gun positions in the center of Leningrad that fired at these planes.

News of the shooting down of enemy planes came frequently. More and more red circles with a black cross in the middle appear on the map. Lukashenko can see that the situation is much better now than last year.

In fact, the Soviet Air Force has always performed much better than other branches of the military in the war against the German army (the air force was a branch of the military that Stalin loved to use to save emergencies). In the early days of the war, Soviet Air Force bombers were constantly attacking German ground targets in dozens or even hundreds. The range of attacks included not only the German front-line troops, but also airfields and industrial targets in depth. According to statistics, from June 22 to July 10, 41, the Soviet Air Force carried out more than 1,000 attacks on German airfields with 4,700 sorties. Lukashenko remembers that one of the more successful examples of attacks on enemy targets in depth was an attack on the refinery of the Proyesti oil field in Romania by six Soviet bombers on the afternoon of July 13, 41. At the expense of 4 aircraft, Soviet bomber units destroyed more than 9000 tons of Romanian oil reserves. From 23 June, Soviet long-range bomber aviation attacks were also carried out by Koenigsberg and Danzig in Germany, Bucharest in Romania, and Helsinki in Finland.

However, in most cases, the air raids of the Soviet Air Force, due to the lack of fighter cover and the dullness of formation tactics, often suffered huge losses under the intensive anti-aircraft artillery fire of the German army and the interception of the advanced "BF-109" fighters, while the actual damage caused to the enemy was very limited. In the space of June 30 alone, the Soviet Air Force lost hundreds of bombers in the attack on Bruisk. In one of the battles in the north, the Soviet Air Force, with the loss of 43 bombers, shot down only 5 "BF-109" fighters with limited self-defense firepower. If we take into account the difference in performance between the two aircraft, it should be said that the Soviet bomber pilots did a decent job.

Compared to shooting down Soviet bombers that were backward and uncovered, the Luftwaffe fought against Soviet fighters not so easily. Although a large number of "I-15" and "I-16" fighters lagged far behind the German fighters in terms of speed, firepower, and airborne equipment, and there were too many rookies among the Soviet pilots, a small number of excellent Soviet pilots were still able to fly these old planes to shoot down advanced German planes in air combat. In the face of the new Soviet fighters, the Luftwaffe was even more challenged. Therefore, while shooting down a large number of opposing fighters, the German fighter losses were also very serious, and the Soviet Air Force slowly began to regain its own sky.

Although he is now safe, Major General Lukashenko still feels terrified when he thinks of the time when his transport plane was shot down and he was captured by the Germans.

Fortunately, because of the "521" crew, he escaped from the clutches of the Germans and returned to his own people, instead of having to go to the "screening camp" to suffer, as many people who had been captured by the enemy......

Now he has returned to Leningrad and has become a respected member of the NKVD above the party, government and military departments.

The German air raid on Leningrad had been going on for two hours, and Lukashenko felt a little uneasy, and he walked out of the hall of the General Command and into the corridor. His feverish face felt a fresh stream of air, apparently from the air compressor. He looked around.

"The observation post on the military headquarters building is out of contact!" A major with glasses ran into the corridor after him and hurriedly whispered, "Colonel Maksimovich ordered to fix the ...... as soon as possible"

"Yes, fix it now!" One of the captains replied that he was sitting with a few signal men in a large pit-like room with many telephones on the table.

The two fighters, on the orders of the captain, took off their boots and ran down the corridor towards the elevator so as not to make too loud footsteps.

Lukashenko remembered that above the air defense command, there was an observation post on the roof of the command building. From the rooftop, you can see most of Leningrad. He also did not hesitate to follow the communication warriors. The bespectacled major's hurried words seemed to be ringing in his ears: "Colonel Maksimovich ordered......"

Only then did Lukashenko pay close attention to the work of the chief of staff of the army, Colonel Maksimovich. He sat side by side with General Vakhakimov at the table near the console and was indeed the commander's right-hand man. Maksimovich had an open notebook in front of him, and he jot down the reports coming from the various lines in a swift and accurate shorthand manner. Also note down the measures decided to take. He occasionally conversed with Vakhakimov, apparently discussing something, and then took up a pen to write off a piece of record and write something new. His pale, thin face, with a tightly knit brow, showed a preoccupied and worried look. The Colonel seemed to be juggling a rigorous exam, solving an extremely complex mathematical problem and struggling.

Lukashenko takes the elevator to the top floor, from where he can follow the ladder to an attic, and then from the attic to the roof, where there is a steel plate eaves is the observation post.

The sound of the cannon can be heard clearly in the elevator. But when Lukashenko came to the rooftop, it felt as if he was in the midst of lightning and thunder, and a raging storm.

"Comrade Major General!" An observation post ran to him in exclamation, "You can't come here!" And not yet wearing a helmet. Shrapnel will hurt your ......"

"I'll only be there for a minute." Lukashenko replied calmly and solemnly, and looked around.