Refugee Crisis

At Russian Army Headquarters, Ivanov was immersed in the joy of taking Poznan. This could be called the Russian Army's greatest achievement since the war began, with strategic significance no less than the recovery of Smolensk.

One only had to open a map to see that Poznan lay at the heart of the Polish Plain, serving as the most important transportation hub and industrial center between Prussia and Poland.

The Russian Army's occupation of this place also meant they had severed Warsaw's main artery of communication with the rear. The main Prussian Army force led by Moltke was about to become an isolated army.

A young officer hurried over to report. "Marshal, news has come from the front. Airship reconnaissance discovered that a large enemy force withdrew from the Warsaw region yesterday, numbering several hundred thousand.

"The enemy is marching very quickly and is suspected to be their main force, but they did not bring heavy weapons, so we cannot confirm it for the moment."

Ivanov's heart jolted. Not good. The enemy is running. Then he hesitated again. Moltke was full of cunning schemes, and his deployments often defied expectations. No one knew whether this was merely a feint.

Airships could only conduct reconnaissance; it was difficult to distinguish whether the troops below were truly the main force. There were still many local units in the Warsaw region, fully capable of posing as the main force.

Moltke had already used the same trick during last winter's campaign. In the recent Battle of Warsaw, the enemy had again reused the old tactic and deceived the Russian Fourth Army.

Yet Ivanov was unwilling to simply let it go. If he allowed the Prussian Army's main force to escape now, it would be difficult to encircle and annihilate them in the future.

After