Soviet Union 1991

Yanayev was not involved in the struggle between the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and the Army Command, but he controlled everything behind the scenes. Dealing with the military is different from dealing with the die-hards in the Politburo. He cannot personally remove those who are destined to block his progress. The August 19 coup that year was only possible with the support of the Army Headquarters. If we want to take action now, we can only choose Vladimir, the youngest and most promising person to do it.

Yazov, however, disapproved of his approach, believing that it was pushing the other party out as a gunman and absorbing all the firepower on the Chairman of the Council of Ministers.

Yanayev listened quietly to his endless complaints while taking out a cigarette from the cigarette box. Although the doctor told him to smoke as little as possible, he still couldn't resist the temptation of cigarettes.

After puffing on the smoke, he put out the cigarette butt in the ashtray and prepared to refute Comrade Yazov's remarks one by one.

"Whether he kills someone with a borrowed knife, or uses him as a gunman, it doesn't matter what you say. Comrade Yazov, I am destined to be unable to openly oppose their approach. After all, it is easy for conservatives to get caught. Moreover. If you really want to take action, you will kill him with one blow. After taking away the most powerful Varennikov, the rest are just small fish and shrimps that can't make any trouble. Are you right?"

Yazov said nothing.

Yanayev continued talking to himself, "So the ultimate goal of this tank battle is the battle between the reformists and the conservatives. Vladimir was fully prepared and took the stage. He fired his bow and did not look back. Arrow, this also means that if he fails, he may not even be able to retain his position as chairman of the Council of Ministers. After all, other conservative members of the Politburo will also attack."

"Will the General Secretary keep him?" Azov finally spoke.

"It depends on the situation." Yanayev only gave a vague answer.

"If he cannot solve the problem of the military department, even sitting as general secretary will be equivalent to just sitting in the position of the Supreme Presidium of the Soviet Union and not having much real power. This matter is not a small matter for Vladimir. challenge, so I also prepared a gift for him.”

Yanayev pushed up his black-rimmed glasses. Although he did not step out of the door, everything that happened outside was under his control. He enjoys the feeling of having everyone in the palm of his hand, partly for the truth, and partly for the ideal in his heart.

No one can stop the progress of this country, not even former close friends.

A special plenary session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union is about to be held. Vladimir must eliminate their political opponents in the near future, and then they can carry out the excessive transfer of power safely and avoid unexpected situations. Now countless eyes within the central government are staring at the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, and his every move affects the fate of many people. Vladimir cannot fail, otherwise all 99 steps he took before will be lost because of the mistake in the last step.

"The Supervisory Committee is already preparing to raid Varennikov's staff. They have the 'crimes' of these people in their hands. I believe there will be new information soon... I don't know if this move will drain the firepower. It surprised Comrade General.”

Yazov did not make a sound. It seemed that Yanayev was determined to put the opponent to death, otherwise he would not be so cruel and ruthless to kill them all. With the most elite behind-the-scenes team removed, I am afraid Varennikov will become a real loner, no longer able to stop the progress of the reformists.

"What will happen to him, our old comrade Varennikov?"

Yanayev smiled and did not answer Azov's question directly.

"We have to see how far our Comrade Vladimir will go. Mercy is not an attribute of a politician. But what is certain is that once Varennikov falls, the conservatives will be useless. If he can accomplish this feat, he will be able to establish his prestige in the Army Department and the road ahead will be much easier.”

——Separating line——

"About the Armata tank? Is there anything General Varennikov wants to know?" Vladimir smiled to himself and explained, "That's right, you know nothing about him so far. You know. Soon this kind of tank will be installed in the army armored forces on a large scale, eliminating the outdated T72 and T80, and completely building our army into a modern..."

"That's not what I said!"

Varennikov interrupted him rudely, "It's about Amata's plan. Why didn't the Army Ministry know anything about it? Why did it decide without our consent? What on earth are you thinking? Have you included me? What does General Secretary Yanayev think about this?"

"I'm sorry, but I have no comment to answer to all of your questions."

Vladimir answered lightly, "The Armata plan is an unchangeable plan. No matter how much the Ministry of War objects, you will have to accept it in the end. If you don't agree, we will have to take decisive measures."

Varennikov asked with a sneer, "Blackmail me? Child, you'd better remember that when you were still playing with building blocks, I had already picked up a gun and entered the army! The weapons I have been exposed to are more comparable to war Much more than you imagine.”

Vladimir did not care about the other party's use of seniority to suppress him, and calmly took out a list and handed it to Varennikov, "I heard that the Supervisory Committee is planning to attack the military recently. I miss you with this list." You should really want to see who will be purged.”

Varennikov took over the list and his expression suddenly changed. Nearly a quarter of the people in the staff and command are on this list. It seems that Vladimir is not planning to launch an attack on the Army Department on a temporary basis. He has already started planning.

"A single charge of corruption can erase all the names on the list from the current military system. Don't look aggrieved, Comrade Varennikov, we don't have much hatred, just a firm belief The concept is just different. You think the T80 is the best tank. Even the next generation of main battle tanks should be extended from this platform, rather than completely abandoning the past tank platform and developing new ones. The Amata Plan came out. But this is just like the conflict between reformists and conservatives. When it expands, it is not a small tank battle, but a struggle between factions who dare not move forward boldly. People are bound by the past. You are all scared. Gorbachev's new thinking has scared you so much that you haven't recovered even after General Secretary Yanayev promoted the gradual change. "You still think the changes are too extreme."

He shook his head and said to himself, "This makes it difficult for us to do, really difficult to do. You want to revitalize this country, but also prevent them from reforming themselves. In this way, the originally advanced The factions will be replaced by more advanced ones, and you are a group of conservative factions that are outdated and no longer in the interest of history.”

Varennikov sneered and said, "You want to take down the people on the list? Comrade Vladimir, although I admire your courage, your strength is far from reaching this step."

He pointed his finger behind the general's back, and Varennikov turned around.

He saw Yazov walking towards him.

"It's true that he can't do this, but if someone helps, things will become much smoother."

Yazov's next words almost made Varennikov fall to the ground.

"Just three hours ago, the Supervisory Committee raided the army command and staff headquarters and took away the group of people on the list. No need to think too much about who gave them the power. The people General Secretary Yanayev wanted to deal with, No one can stop you, so Comrade Varennikov you have one last chance.”

"Even the General Secretary... No wonder the Chairman of the Council of Ministers has such courage to challenge the Army Department."

Varennikov smiled, his expression looking very bitter. If the General Secretary wants to take action, it will not be as simple as a small fight. He will most likely have to reform the entire army. He had also heard about the affairs of Luzhkov and Anatoly, and even he did not dare to act on his own initiative despite being able to deal with that powerful figure in an understatement.

Varennikov has kept to himself for so many years because he understands how terrifying that man really is. But unexpectedly, Yanayev still aimed his butcher knife at the merits of 819, and finally decided to attack them.

Varennikov calmed down and tried to control his emotions to avoid sudden outbursts and loss of control. He glanced at Yazov and Vladimir, and said unwillingly, "I will personally confirm this to General Secretary Yanayev. If you want to destroy the Soviet army, you will never allow it."

Comrade Vladimir made a gesture of invitation, "We have no intention of preventing you from leaving. If you insist on going to the Kremlin, Yanayev asked me to tell you that he is waiting for you in the Kremlin."

Yazov looked at the old man in front of him with complicated eyes and hesitated to speak. He remembered Yanayev's warning, but in the end he couldn't say the words in his heart.

Kindness is not an attribute of politicians.

Varennikov turned around and left before the matter was over. Convincing Yanayev was his last hope. If the Ministry of War and the General Secretary broke up, the situation would not be good.

Just as Varennikov was about to leave, Vladimir stopped him from behind and said something meaningful.

"Oh, by the way, I will say one last thing. The Armata tank you saw, that turret, is a remotely controlled unmanned turret."

"General Varennikov, you have failed to keep up with the times."

The subtext is that you are about to be out of the game.