Soviet Union 1991

First update

The South Ossetian army could no longer stop the advance of the Georgian armored forces. The soldiers stationed at the Zak highway checkpoint had no chance of counterattacking the fully armed armored forces. The t72 tanks began to move towards the Rokski Tunnel along the Zak highway.

The South Ossetian government army suffered heavy losses from the Georgian army's surprise attack. Some tank bases were hit by MiG-21 and Su-27 fighters before they could fight back, and the entire army was wiped out. This was not their fault. Who knew that these Soviet Air Force fighters taking off from Georgia would actually aim at their own people. Minashvili still had some foresight. He knew that if he wanted to stop the advance of the Soviet armored forces, he had to occupy the Rokski Tunnel. If necessary, he even blew them up to slow down the Soviet army's advance.

However, without the coordinated operations of the air force and ground air defense forces, the Georgian armored forces that raided the Zak Highway seemed a bit dangerous. Once the Soviet army launched an air support strike, they would be like a live target and suffer a catastrophe. Minashvili also took this into consideration. Originally, after capturing South Ossetia, he immediately occupied the airport where it was located and used Su-27 fighters to carry bombs to bomb the remaining South Ossetian troops stationed in the Kazbek Mountains.

However, the surgical strike of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet caused heavy losses to the Georgian Air Force. Even Minashvili did not realize that it was the Black Sea Fleet, not the Soviet Air Force, that attacked in the first place. Obviously, this move caught the Georgian Air Force off guard. Now even Minashvili can only pray that the armored forces can take the tunnel before the Soviet 58th Army's vanguard arrives.

The wide tracks of the T72 tanks crushed the white flowers growing on both ends of the road into the black soil. Along the way, the resistance encountered by the Georgian rebels was really not to be underestimated. They often ambushed at both ends of the road, using PRG rockets to shoot at both sides of the T72 tanks. Even the only Shilka self-propelled artillery that could cooperate in combat was ambushed by the enemy and scrapped. Now only one tank with less than two companies has reached the place near the Rokski Tunnel.

"The Rokski Tunnel is ahead. As long as we capture it, South Ossetia will be ours." When the tank commander saw the entrance to the Rokski Tunnel and the last bit of troops stationed there in the telescope, he couldn't help but get excited. From just now to now, the Georgian independence army has not encountered any resistance at all, which means that the South Ossetian defenders have fought all their troops. The part in front of the tunnel is just a small group of people who resisted at the end.

Moreover, this road is a flat area, without rugged and dangerous places. That is to say, it is impossible for the remnants of South Ossetia to set up an ambush and attack two tank companies here.

He adjusted his hat and ordered the first company to move forward and capture the last pass. By holding the Rokski Tunnel, Georgia would have the initiative in the army.

The commander could even feel that victory was in sight, and he would become a hero in Georgia's war of independence.

However, the attacking Georgian army did not know that twenty minutes ago, the vanguard of the two motorized infantry battalions of the Soviet army had passed through the tunnel and learned that the Georgian army was marching here. They decided to take advantage of the situation and catch the other side off guard.

First, all the troops of the motorized infantry battalion hid in the tunnel to create the illusion that the Soviet reinforcements had not arrived. Then all the South Ossetian troops along the way were evacuated to create the illusion that no one could stop the Georgian armored forces. Under such a double trap, the commander of the armored company took a risky offensive approach and rushed to the final destination without the cover of air firepower.

However, a squadron of Su-25 attack aircraft that took off from the military airport was rapidly approaching the Zak Highway. They were the formation that provided air support for the leading motorized infantry battalion. The target of the motorized infantry battalion commander was the more than 20 T72 tanks that were advancing along the highway. They were like moving ground targets, closely watched by the Su-25 attack aircraft.

Soon the commander in charge of the attack felt something was wrong. The soldiers at the entrance of the Rocksky Tunnel were too lazy. It didn't look like they were facing a great enemy at all, and after they entered the range, the soldiers in the Rocksky Tunnel still didn't change at all. In fact, through observation from a high position, they were able to fully discover the attacking Georgian armored forces.

Now the Georgian commander is facing a dilemma. First, the strategic location is right in front of him. If he stops and waits for air support, it is likely to be lost. Second, the temptation is too great. The commander of the Georgian tank company took a risky approach and attacked directly without waiting for subsequent air support.

However, the accident happened at this time. The commander of the armored force heard a sharp whistle coming from a distance, like the roar of an airplane. He looked up and saw a squadron of Su-25 attack aircraft flying towards him. The commander of the armored unit suddenly realized that something was wrong and quickly used the radio to notify all the crew members to abandon the vehicle and escape.

He crawled out of the top cover of the T72 tank and jumped onto the hard concrete ground. He grabbed the pistol and ran away. At this time, the Su-25 attack aircraft had approached the armored unit on the road. Without any fire cover, they were lambs to be slaughtered.

When the Su-25 attack aircraft driver locked the tank through the screen, the whistling air-to-ground missiles fell from the sky.

The Su-25 was loaded with KH29 missiles aimed at the T72 tanks on the road. After each HK29 was fired, a T72 tank turret on the road was directly overturned, rolling up thick smoke and flames. Since some Georgian tank crews had evacuated the tanks in advance, they became targets for the Su-25 attack aircraft and had no power to fight back.

For a while, the Zak Highway became a veritable death highway. The crew members who did not have time to evacuate died in the cockpit along with the burning tanks. Through the driver's hatch, you can see that the entire tank is like a furnace, and the flames devour everything in the car.

After the first round of attacks, the Su-25 attack aircraft once again fired at the T72 tanks with millimeter machine guns, and honeycomb coal-shaped craters were smashed on the tops of all tanks. The Su-25 attack aircraft left only after confirming that the tanks were completely destroyed. Only the burning black iron sheets and billowing smoke were left on the road.

The motorized infantry battalion hidden in the tunnel finally showed its fangs. After the air force used precision strikes to clear the tank company, they will quickly occupy Kazbek Mountain to clear the way for the 58th Army behind.

The Georgian rebels don't know yet, but the true strength of the Soviet army is only beginning to show now. (To be continued.)8