RUSSIAN TRIUMPH

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 102, 25 January 1943, Page 5

RUSSIAN TRIUMPH

Massive Cleari-Up On Voronezh Front ARMAVIR FALLS IN RACE ON KUBAN STEPPES

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —C?opy right.) (Received January 24, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 23. Armavir, the strategic junction in the German communication lines in the Caucasus, was captdred today by the Russians after a determined assault, states a special announcement in Moscow. On the Vordnezh front the Red Army captured the district centre and railway station of Volokonovka. The Russians, in pine days’ operations on the Voronezh front, have routed 17 divisions, consisting of four German infantry divisions with a special group o 60 tanks and five special German infantry regiments, nine Hun-, garian divisions and an Italian corps consisting of four divisions. The prisoners taken up to yesterday total 64,000.

Correspondents doubt whether the Germans will loug defend the Maikop oilfield, west of Armavir. Following the capture of Salsk, which was announced yesterday, the Russians are moving on rapidly in the direction of Rostov. Two other Red armies, advancing on Rostov from the north and east, are within 50 and 45 miles of the city, but they face much stiffer defences than the south-eastern artay. Voroshilovgrad (formerly Lugansk), another vital rail centre and a big industrial town, which is held by the Germans, is already under fire from Russian heavy guns. Moscow last night announced the capture of Novoyegorlyk. This represents an advance of 35 miles from Voroshilovsk in the Caucasus, along the railway to Kropotkin. Six Offensives. Today’s routine Soviet communique stated: “The six Russian offensives are progressing in the same directions as before.” Salsk, the important German communication centre 85 miles south-east of Rostov, was captured by the Red Army after determined fighting. The special Russian communique which announced this yesterday also reported the capture of Mikoyanshakhar, 100 miles south-west of Pyatigorsk,. The capture of Salsk greatly increases the threat to the Germans in the Caucasus because the Russians will be able to strike across the open country between the Manych and Salsk to Rostov. The Red Armies in the Caucasus are so imminently threatening the Germans with encirclement that correspondents envisage a race between the Russians and Germans for the mouth of the sack which the Russians are trying to close and the Germans to keen open. A new phase of the Battle of Rostov opened after the Russians crossed the Manych River and Manych Canal. Bota are unfrozen as the result of an exceptionally mild winter. They had been regarded as a natural defence for Rostov. Moscow correspondents reported yesterday that the , .Russians’ northernmost wing, driving .hard against the VoronezhKursk railway, was nearing the Kastornoie junction where the Voronezh-Kursk line cuts the Yelets-Valuiki railway.