"Now, tell me, do you have the confidence to handle this task?" Major Serov moved his hand from atop the reports and pressed further.
"Yes, I am confident I can solve this problem, Comrade Major Ivan Alexandrovich," Viktor stood up, speaking loudly.
"Very well, now onto the second matter," Serov nodded satisfactorily, reaching for a red envelope containing a dossier and tossing it directly in front of Viktor. "First, take a look at this document."
Viktor hurriedly sat down, taking the document out of the sealed envelope, which was labeled with "People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs" and adorned with the corresponding emblem. The document was titled "Lviv Operation Plan."
For nearly twenty minutes, Viktor skimmed through the thick document, which outlined comprehensive plans by Moscow for the assault on Poland. It detailed the tasks the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs needed to execute before and after the Soviet army's capture of Lviv.
The document could be roughly divided into three parts:
Before the Soviet attack on Lviv, the NKVD needed to infiltrate Lviv, cooperate with advancing troops to secure nine critical bridges in the outskirts, and prevent Polish forces from sabotaging Lviv's two hydroelectric plants and more than ten important industrial facilities.
During the war, coordinate actions with the Soviet army and seize Lviv's radio stations and municipal departments preemptively.
After the Soviet army occupied Lviv, swiftly arrest and secretly execute a series of individuals listed in the document. The majority were either Ukrainian nationalists, staunch anti-Soviet Polish figures, or defectors from the Soviet Union to Poland.
The document concluded with an order issued by the People's Commissar for Defense, personally signed by Comrade Stalin, directing Major Serov to recruit members from the Western Ukrainian Border Guards, active-duty units, military academies, and militia to form an internal security force under the direct command of the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs State Security Directorate, at the regimental level, specifically tasked with overseeing various operations in the Lviv region.
"Yes, undoubtedly, this is a daunting task," Serov finally spoke after Viktor closed the document. "For anyone, this is a test. Now I want to know, do you have the confidence to take on this mission?"
Viktor hesitated. This task was vastly different from dealing with bandits; compared to that, dealing with partisans was relatively straightforward—the sole objective was to root out and eliminate those guerrilla fighters. However, the Lviv Operation presented a comprehensive challenge, requiring a grasp of the broader strategic picture. More concretely, successfully completing this task could elevate him to a prominent position within the State Security Directorate.
From the documents, it was clear that the overall operation in Western Ukraine was divided into three parts: the Lviv Operation, the Kolbavy Operation, and the Kovel-Novovolynsk Operation. These three operations likely coordinated with the Soviet army's advances in three directions. Organizing such an operation was undeniably a severe test, but also a rare opportunity.
"I don't need a hesitant person in charge of operations," Major Serov said impatiently after Viktor remained silent for a long time.
"I have confidence," Viktor raised his head, meeting Serov's gaze squarely. "Comrade Ivan Alexandrovich, I mean, I have confidence that I can complete the mission."
"Then get out of my office immediately," Serov stared sternly. "Produce an operational plan in the shortest time possible. Understand this: your own confidence means nothing. What you need to do is make me confident in you!"
"Yes!" Viktor hurriedly stood up. He put on his cap, saluted Serov again, and then picked up the documents, walking briskly towards the door.
"Notify the next useless person to come in," Serov's voice trailed behind him. "Damn it, why do I waste time on these fools..."
Viktor didn't return to the soldier's club where he had been staying. He was required to remain within the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs building. One reason was Serov's need for a prompt plan; another was that he couldn't take the documents out of the building.
However, compared to the soldier's club, the accommodation provided by the Commissariat was much better. There was 24-hour hot water supply, and the meals were good, including meat and fruits, ensuring a balanced diet. Moreover, the Commissariat provided Viktor with various materials and intelligence needed to develop an operational plan, including detailed maps and data.
Currently, Lviv had a population close to four hundred thousand in the city area alone. Over sixty percent were Polish Catholics, followed by Jews, who made up twenty-four percent of the population, with Ukrainians coming after. This demographic situation stemmed from the Polish government continuously relocating Poles to Lviv after World War I, while moving local Ukrainians elsewhere.
Interestingly, in Soviet-controlled Western Ukraine, Ukrainian nationalists opposed Moscow's rule and politically leaned towards Poland. Conversely, in Polish-controlled Western Ukraine, there were Ukrainian nationalist factions that leaned towards Moscow. According to military intelligence, there were over twenty anti-Polish guerrilla groups active near Lviv, with the majority closely aligned with the Soviet side—forces Viktor could potentially leverage.
However, relying solely on these forces would not be enough to defend the targets specified in the documents before Lviv fell to the Soviet army. Viktor needed more support or more effective measures.
In a nearly luxurious room, brightly lit, various types of maps were strewn across the large office desk and the carpet in front of it. On the expansive desk itself, piles of documents were stacked high enough to bury a person.
Seated on the floor beside the double bed, Viktor, with disheveled hair, furrowed his brow as he swiftly wrote on a piece of stationery with a steel pen.
After painstakingly filling half a page, he seemed to reconsider something. Rising, he approached the desk and retrieved a document from the heaps. As he perused it, he returned to the bed. Moments later, he crumpled the freshly written half-page into a ball with a swift motion, discarded it to the side, and began writing anew with the pen.
He had been confined to this room at the committee for two days now, wracking his brains to produce this operational plan. So far, he had managed to outline a few feasible strategies, but lacked a cohesive plan and was struggling with critical details.
Yes, he had claimed to Major Serov that he was confident in completing the mission. However, Serov was clearly not one to be reassured by mere words; he wanted to see a detailed operational plan that demonstrated feasibility before entrusting Viktor with the task.
This time, however, Viktor seemed poised to disappoint Major Serov, unable as he was to formulate the plan.
Of course, Viktor wasn't devoid of ideas; it was certain key aspects that he couldn't resolve. For instance, manpower was a critical issue. Lviv city required protection for too many vital buildings, and he lacked the necessary personnel to defend them before the Soviet army entered the urban area. Moreover, even if he had sufficient manpower, he still needed ample weapons and equipment, a problem he currently couldn't solve.
A knock on the door interrupted Viktor's thoughts. Before he could respond, the door swung open, and a young woman's voice announced, "Comrade Junior Lieutenant Viktor Viktorovich, Major Serov requests your presence immediately with the operational plan you've prepared."
With that, the door slammed shut again.
Viktor let out a long sigh, feeling somewhat strained as he stood up from the floor, supporting himself on the bed. He tidied up the scattered sheets of paper around him, then donned his coat and hurriedly left the room.
It was deep into the night already. As Viktor left the room, he checked his watch specifically: 2:08 AM.
"Doesn't this guy ever rest at night?" Viktor muttered to himself as he navigated the corridors.
It was the same office as two days ago when Viktor was led into the room. Major Serov was seated behind the desk, still soaking his feet... yes, soaking his feet in a wooden tub. He lit a cigarette upon seeing Viktor enter.
"It's been two days, Junior Lieutenant Viktor Viktorovich," Serov said, exhaling smoke. "I've given you two days, and now I want to see the operational plan you've prepared."
Viktor felt his scalp tingle nervously. Without a word, he approached and handed over the hastily scribbled draft, listing points of consideration.