The German 21st Army Corps had already arrived in Kuwait, and the 22nd Army Corps would soon reach Kuwait as well. The arrival of large numbers of elite German troops would completely change the situation in the Middle East. Although the Caucasian Front Army had fought well and performed outstandingly in this campaign, they had never been able to accomplish the combat mission Joseph had assigned them.
Because they no longer had any chance at all. Worse still, they might even end up sacrificing themselves.
Tikrit, 120 kilometers north of Baghdad. The two tank divisions of the Russian 47th Army Corps had already fought their way here. However, the two divisions combined now possessed fewer than fifty tanks. The rest had been destroyed in the earlier battles—some by German Air Force fighter planes, and many more by mechanical failures.
Although Baghdad did not seem far from here, more than 200,000 Iraqi Army troops stood in their path. Most of these Iraqi troops had only recently been formed and had poor combat effectiveness. But with the German Air Force's full support, they could still barely hold back the Russian attack. At the very least, they could tie down the Russian troops and buy time for the following German forces to reach the battlefield.
The Headquarters of the Russian Caucasian Front Army was located not far north of Tikrit. Yet at this moment, the atmosphere throughout headquarters was exceptionally grave. They had already learned that the German military had disembarked in Kuwait. To them, it was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue.
"Can the intelligence be confirmed? Have the Germans truly reached Kuwait?" Front Army Political Commissar Major General Shamanin still seemed unable to believe the fact. After all, the blow was simply too great.
"Comrade Political Commissar, it has been confirmed.