The first update

The Barents Sea scalpel incident in 1987, Soviet driver Vasily? In order to avoid the accusations of the international community, Simbal was also grounded for a period of time and then transferred to other flying companies, and for the next few years, he was kept silent and not allowed to tell what happened.

However, this time it was different, and instead of being punished by the army, Comrade Sergei, who had wielded a scalpel in the Arabian Sea, was praised by the army like a Hero of the Soviet Union, and the Minister of Defense even personally awarded Comrade Sergei the title of Hero of the Soviet Union in recognition of his heroic actions in this confrontation.

Defense Minister Comrade Yazov even personally awarded him the Order of the Hero of the Soviet Union, which only 69 people have received from 1979 to 1989, the vast majority of whom were awarded for their heroic performance in the war in Afghanistan. Sergei is arguably the first soldier since 1989 to be awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union in recognition of his significant contribution to the preservation of the dignity of the Soviet army in the Arabian Sea.

Comrade Yazov stood on the podium, and he did not say congratulations or other celebratory topics, but uncharacteristically told these people a story that may not be familiar to the Navy, but is a familiar story to the Air Force.

"Before I say a few words of congratulations, I want to say something." Yazov said affectionately, "November 28, 1973. A US high-altitude reconnaissance plane intruded into Soviet airspace. An emergency take-off of a MiG-140 fighter numbered 21 intercepted from the Baku air defense zone of the USSR. 19 minutes after the fighter took off. The Baku command post handed over command to the ground guide at the front-line airfield, Captain Jorny. After discovering the enemy plane, the MiG-21 pilot Yeliseev decisively launched two missiles, but both of them were evaded by the maneuver of the high-altitude reconnaissance plane. ”

"Seeing that the enemy plane was about to flee Soviet airspace, the pilot Yeliseev urgently called the ground command. Captain Jorny resolutely gave Yeliseev the order to ram the enemy plane.

"'140 understands!' This was the last answer of the MiG-21 at that time. As a result of the battle, the reconnaissance plane was crashed and destroyed, and the MiG-21 was destroyed as well. The Soviet government awarded Yeliseev the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and the name of the hero was the first to be mentioned in the 982 fighter regiment to which he belonged every day during the roll call. ”

Speaking of this, Yazov sighed. "We have countless martyrs like Comrade Yeliseev, who gave their youth, even their lives, with deep enthusiasm for the motherland. We should not forget these unsung heroes, whether they were soldiers who were buried under a certain loess in the Great Patriotic War, or the corpses of ships whose bodies slept forever at the bottom of the sea and were never salvaged. ”

"They may be the sons of a certain mother, the fathers of a certain child, but most importantly, they will always be the heroes of the republic! Like Comrade Sergei, Comrade Yeliseyev, a hero who will never be forgotten. "Speaking of which. Defense Minister Yazov took off his hat to reveal his pale head, and the defense minister, who had done his best for the country and the people, slowly raised his hand. A military salute was given to Comrade Sergei, who presented the award, and to the soldiers in the audience. It was also the first time in history that the Minister of Defense had shown high respect to an ordinary soldier.

"Thank you for all that you have done, the people of the Fatherland and the Soviets, and will never forget your dedication."

Warm applause rang out in the auditorium, some soldiers burst into tears of excitement, Comrade Yazov's speech was very sensational, and after the award was over, those soldiers rushed to shake hands with Defense Minister Yazov to express their reverence. And such an effect is exactly what Comrade Yazov wants to see.

After the award ceremony, Comrade Yazov did not stay here for long, he had to go back to Moscow to deal with government affairs, and before leaving, he met another old friend, the commander-in-chief of the Navy, Smirev. However, when the other party saw Yazov, he didn't have that kind of excited look, but complained a little about taking the whole fleet to risk it.

After listening to Smirev's complaints, Yazov explained with a smile, "Risks and opportunities coexist, Comrade Smirev. This time, the Soviet Union won a complete victory, not only winning the favor of the anti-American countries in the Middle East, but also training the Pacific Fleet's adaptability in a simulated conflict, isn't it? ”

"And most importantly, we have also consolidated our position with our allies, completely pushed the United States into opposition between China and the Soviet Union, and now, we all have a common enemy, and the Americans' enemies on all sides have almost pushed him to the edge of the cliff, and he is in danger."

Smirev, however, disagreed with Yazov, "but it also exposed the Soviet army, which we had worked so hard to build, to enemy fire." To tell you the truth, Comrade Yazov, it is a very unwise act to start a conflict with the American fleet in the Arabian Sea. They had their own naval base in that area, and their ships could be replenished in minutes. And after our fleet replenished fuel and food in India, it confronted the United States almost without any logistics, and almost killed a fleet. ”

"A mighty fleet never takes a risk on its luck, and I hope that such a risky victory will not happen a second time." Smiryev spoke his heart, and as commander-in-chief of the Navy, he had no right to intervene in such a matter, but it was also out of loyalty to the Soviets that he told Yazov what he was thinking.

Smirev, who is accustomed to looking at the situation with the thinking of a soldier, naturally does not understand Yanayev's mode of dealing with risky decisions, just as the bureaucrats sitting in the office do not understand the flexibility of the war model. Yanayev's pawn has added another firewood to the situation in the Middle East, which is gradually becoming suspicious.

At least Yanayev is very clear in his calculations: regardless of the success of the confrontation, the situation in the Middle East will be significantly changed by the current confrontation in the Arabian Sea. However, the United States, which is bent on controlling oil and using oil futures to make profits, did not expect that those Middle Eastern countries will begin to fall to the other side. Iran and Iraq, under the threat and attack of the United States, see at least another country with which they share common interests, and a country that is also powerful enough to rely on and cling to.

USSR. (To be continued.) )