“An entirely different case. There, they came to the aid of an old
ally.
As it was, they sent but a single carrier battle group, and that was
very nearly too little, too late. I assure you, they will look at our
civil war, and their politicians will remember Vietnam … another
civil war within the living memory of most Americans. They will
recognize the fact that they cannot possibly intervene on one side or
the other with any hope of success.”
“But for us to deliberately attack them-”
“Calm yourself,” Karelin said. “So far as Washington is concerned, our
nation is disintegrating into anarchy and civil war, yes? They see
dozens of factions, and the possibility of renegade officers, rebels,
dissidents. That, after all, is why they fear our nuclear forces. When
we strike them, it will be in such a way that they will be unable to fix
the blame. Perhaps one faction mistook the approaching American carrier
group for a rival Russian group.” Karelin spread his hands, and
shrugged. “In the fog of war, regrettable mistakes happen.
“In any case, believe me, Viktor Ivanovich, when I say that the
Americans have no stomach for a lengthy or expensive involvement in our
war. They will harass, even sink our submarines if that is in their
best interests, but they will not risk a major war. ESpecially a
nuclear war now, as their news media likes to put it, that the Cold War
is over.”
“What will we do, then?”
Karelin shuffled through the papers, producing another map. This one
showed the Kola Peninsula, from Russia’s borders with Norway and Finland
in the west to the landlocked waters of the White Sea in the east. The
region was peppered with military bases–airfields, SAM sites, command
control centers, radar installations. And, of course, the major naval
facilities at and around Polyamyy, Severomorsk, and Murmansk.
“Our intelligence indicates that one of the American carrier battle
groups–either Eisenhower or Jefferson–will enter the Barents Sea
within the next few days. They are expected to take up a patrol station
within easy observation range of our submarine facilities at Polyamyy.”
He picked up a red pencil on the desk and circled an area two hundred
kilometers north of the narrow border between Norway and Russia’s Kola
Peninsula. “Approximately here.”
“Close enough to project ASW patrols beyond Polyamyy Inlet,” Marchenko
observed, “while maintaining the option of sheltering within the
Norwegian fjords.”
“Exactly. They can also draw on additional air support and ASW assets
land-based in Norway. We intend to strike before they can take up their
patrol station.
“Moscow has named the operation Ognevoy,” he continued. The Russian
word meant Curtain of Fire, and Karelin thought it apt. “Primary
responsibility is being handed to Frontal Aviation units deployed from
these airfields–Zapolyamyy and Pechenga near the border. Kirovsk,
Alakurtti, Vaga Guba, Monchegorsk inland. Overall control will be
exercised through the district command facility at Kandalaksha. None of
these airfields, you will notice, lies closer than one hundred
kilometers to our naval facilities here at Polyamyy.”
“So that the Americans, if they retaliate, will not attack our submarine
bases.”
“Correct. Moscow will disavow any connection with the attack, claiming
that it was mounted by a small clique of anti-military Blues seeking to
discredit the legal government. If the Americans retaliate, it will be
against the airfields where the attack originated.
“In the meantime, you will have both of your Typhoons, Lenin’s
Invincible Truth and Glorious October Revolution, ready to put to sea at
an instant’s notice. If possible, you will deploy them under cover of
bad weather, but the key factor will be to get them out of Polyamyy
Inlet while the Americans are still shocked and disoriented by our
strike against their battle group.”
“How will I know when-”
“I will inform you. I will be at the Kandalaksha Command Center. When
I see that the attack has been successful, that the American carrier is
sunk or, at the least, that the enemy forces are concentrating their
attention on their own defense, I will send you a coded signal. Upon
receipt of that message, you will deploy the Typhoons at once. At once.
It is imperative that you keep both of them ready to leave at a moment’s