70 MILES FROM KHARKOV

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 99, 21 January 1943, Page 5

70 MILES FROM KHARKOV

Momentous Advance (British Official Wireless and Press Assn.) RUGBY, January 19. Three railway junctions are among five points of importance the capture of which is announced In tonight’s special Russian communique. The communique states: “Soviet troops in the northern Caucasus occupied Petrovsko. .Soviet troops on the southwest front, by a tierce attack, occupied the town of Kamensk and the district centre and large railway station of Belaya Kalitva. A large amount of booty was captured. "Soviet troops on the Voronezh front are continuing to develop their offensive and occupied Valuiki (on the railway 70 miles beyond Ostrogozhsk and the same distance from Kharkov) and Urasova. “The enemy forces east of the railway from Kamensk to Rosoch are completely encircled and our troops are annihilating them. The number of prisoners captured today on the Voronezh front was 21,000, making the total 52,000, consisting of 27,500 Hungarians. 22,000 Italians, and 2500 Germans. "Our troops on the Voronezh front from January 13 to January 18 captured 170 tanks, 1700 guns, 2800 machineguns, 4000 mortars, 6000 lorries, 1500 horses, 55,000 rifles, 1,000,000 rounds _of ammunition, 600,000 shells, and 150 dumps of stores of various kinds,” . The mighty Russian offensive which is developing from the Gulf pf Finland to tlie Caucasus sweeps on, specially toward Rostov. , Moscow correspondents say the. Russians are within 75 miles of Armavir and are simultaneously driving toward Stavropol, the two Caucasian rail centres. The threat to Rostov is increasing from several spearheads. The Red Army, after tlie capture of Divnoe, is thrusting westward along the Manych Canal, probably aiming to linkup with the troops pushing forward against Salsk. Other forces are advancing on Orlovk, while along the Don the capture of townships continues.. Another Russian drive is being made against Linkyaya, the junction of the Stalingrad-Rostov and Voronezh-Rostov railways. General Golikovs, men to tlie south of Voronezh are swiftly pushing westward, north-westward, and soutawestward. The most westerly spearheads are advancing on the strategic rail junction of Kursk.