9 4 1 ▁During ▁the ▁German ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁Major ▁General ▁Ale k sey ▁Z had ov ▁was ▁en ▁route ▁on ▁a ▁train ▁to ▁Moscow ▁from ▁T ash k ent ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Corps , ▁which ▁was ▁now ▁sub ordin ated ▁to ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Western ▁Front . ▁When ▁he ▁arrived ▁in ▁Moscow ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁ 2 4 ▁June , ▁he ▁expected ▁to ▁hear ▁news ▁that ▁the ▁German ▁attack ▁had ▁been ▁prompt ly ▁rep uls ed ▁and ▁the ▁fight ▁taken ▁to ▁German ▁territory , ▁but ▁instead ▁he ▁was ▁informed ▁that ▁the ▁Soviet ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁border ▁areas ▁were ▁being ▁batter ed ▁and ▁that ▁communication ▁among ▁units ▁and ▁their ▁lines ▁of ▁command ▁had ▁broken ▁down . ▁The ▁next ▁day ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁June , ▁he ▁left ▁on ▁train ▁for ▁Min sk , ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁Bel or uss ian ▁Soviet ▁Social ist ▁Republic . ▁On ▁the ▁train , ▁he ▁met ▁Colonel ▁Nikol ai ▁Na umen ko , ▁who ▁was ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁the ▁headquarters ▁of ▁the ▁Western ▁Front ' s ▁Air ▁Force . ▁After ▁a ▁German ▁air ▁ra id ▁while ▁the ▁train ▁was ▁in ▁Or sha , ▁further ▁transport ation ▁on ▁the ▁railway ▁was ▁cancel led . ▁He ▁and ▁Na umen ko ▁later ▁at ▁night ▁continued ▁in ▁a ▁staff ▁car ▁to ▁Bor is ov , ▁driving ▁slowly ▁since ▁using ▁head lam ps ▁were ▁prohib ited . ▁They ▁often ▁got ▁slow ed