266,457 OF ENEMY CAPTURED

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 101, 23 January 1943, Page 5

266,457 OF ENEMY CAPTURED

Two Months’ Total

(British Official Wireless.) (Received January 22, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, January 21.

The Germans and their allies have lost 600,457 men killed or captured in all sectors of the Russian front since the Stalingrad drive began on November 19, comprising 334,000 killed and 266,457 captured. A Moscow message, giving these figures, adds, that the number of wounded is believed to be about 900,000, making a total loss of effectives of about 1,500,000 men. It is stated that the exhaustion of Axis manpower has particularly shown itself on the Donetz front, where two generals, Oppel and Hofrnan, commanded only 3500 combatants. These figures compare with those given by the chief of the Soviet Propaganda Department, who said at

Moscow today that the enemy during the same period has lost 6000 tanks, 12,000 guns and 3500 planes. He put the number of killed, however, at more than 500,000.

Other Military Gains.

The Moscow correspondent of lhe Times” says that the approaches to Stalingrad have become a gigantic graveyard and the annihilation of the surrounded forces is nearing its end. The. Germans have been thrown back 190 miles from the city. The Russians routed 36 enemy divisions on the approaches to Stalingrad and 22 more were eneirqled. None of Hitler’s strategic tasks for the summer of 1942 were achieved, thousands of localities have been captured by the Red Army’s Voronezh offensive. In the Caucasus the Germans have been driven back 190 i dies. Russia admittedly has suffered losses, but has succeeded in overcoming the most difficult problem—the transference of vital industries from the threatened areas. Many of the transferred enterprises are producing more than they were on their previous locations.