"Report: the air group has completed its bombing run and is returning!" A general entered the office and reported to Field Marshal Kesselring and Field Marshal Milch.
Ever since the air group had departed, the two of them had been waiting in the office for the results. After all, this was the first round of strategic bombing launched by the German Air Force. Both of them were eagerly anticipating the outcome—whether it would achieve the expected results, how great the losses would be, whether the gains would outweigh the costs, and so on.
"Has the target been destroyed?" Field Marshal Milch asked.
"Russia's aircraft factory in Kazan has been destroyed. More than half of Kazan's urban area has been reduced to ruins. Our assessment is that all targets there have been completely destroyed. The Russians will be unable to put those factories back into operation anytime soon," the general said.
Field Marshal Kesselring nodded in satisfaction. "In that case, the Russians' Yak-1 fighters will likely have to delay entering service for some time. We can use this period to continue launching strategic bombing against Buru, striking at their industrial strength and weakening their war potential."
Buru's Yak-1 was the only fighter capable of posing a threat to Germany's strategic bombers. The other fighters had service ceilings below 9,000 meters and could not threaten the German heavy bomber formations flying at an altitude of 10,000 meters. This greatly reduced the danger involved in carrying out strategic bombing.
"What about our losses?" Field Marshal Kesselring continued.
"Your Excellency, in this round of bombing, we lost seven H-11 heavy bombers, two H-21 heavy bombers, and twelve BF-110 fighters. In addition, our escort fighters shot down more than three hundred Russian P-40 fighters during the battle," the general continued.
"Although the losses were not