Blackmail

37 NOVAJA HUTA, BELARUS

As day transitioned to night, an orange-purple glow on the horizon greeted Belarusian Army Colonel Edward Aymar as he stood in the hatch of his T-72 main battle tank, idling at the edge of the forest only a kilometer from the Ukrainian border. He pulled the binoculars to his eyes and surveyed the countryside, the dense trees giving way in the dusk to rolling meadows blanketed by a layer of light evening fog. In the still air, his company of tanks produced a low rumble in the otherwise quiet forest.

Behind him, in the trees east of highway E95, were the other tanks and infantry fighting vehicles of the 120th Guards Mechanized Brigade, and behind them, also hidden in the dense forest, were another three brigades. To the southwest, the 6th Guards Mechanized Brigade would lead four brigades into Ukraine near Pustynky, while the 11th Guards Mechanized Brigade would lead another four brigades south from Rayffayzen.

Thirty hours ago, Aymar received orders from the Belarusian Northwestern Operational Command, sending his unit south toward the Ukrainian border. It didn’t take much to discern the purpose of his deployment, nor was he surprised they had repositioned during the night under the cover of darkness, pulling off the highway into the forest just north of the Ukrainian border before daybreak. He was surprised, however, when the Belarusian units were augmented with six Russian Spetsnaz brigades, transiting into Belarus before their journey south. Russia wanted a quick and decisive victory.

As Colonel Aymar prepared to begin his unit’s assault into Ukraine, he knew his men wouldn’t get much sleep over the next few days. The encouragement he offered them at times like this echoed in his mind.

You’ll sleep when you’re dead.

As the last light of day faded to darkness, Aymar called down to his tank driver, ordering the 120th Guards Mechanized Brigade into motion. His tank pulled forward, followed by the others, emerging from the trees. Their objectives were far, making speed essential.