STRONGER DEFENCE OVERCOME

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 103, 26 January 1943, Page 5

STRONGER DEFENCE OVERCOME

Latest Soviet Captures (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received January 25, 8.40 p.m.) LONDON, January 24. A Russian commentator, Colonel Vassiliev, in a broadcast, said that the German resistance on the southern and south-western fronts had noticeably strengthened in the last few days, after receiving reinforcements, but the Russians were repulsing enemy counter-attacks, and were continuing to press on. The latest Soviet communique says that the offensive continues in the areas of Stalingrad, south of Voronezh, the northern Caucasus, the lower Don, the northern Donetz, and south of Lake Ladoga. Advancing along the railways beyond Salsk yesterday, the Russians reached places 70 miles north-east of Tikhoretsk junction, and 80 miles south-east of Rostov, while the rapid recovery of the northern Caucasus continued north-east and south of Armavir. The Russians have also extended their grip on the Oskol River, and advanced another dozen miles above Valuiki.

In the lower Don area the Russians took Razvilnde and Tselina, 20 miles south-west and west of Salsk, and the State farm “Gigant” and the station of Trubetskaya. In the northern Caucasus they took Izo-bllkoye, 25 miles northwest of Voroshilovsk, Otradnaya, 25 miles south-west of Nevinomysk, and dozens of smaller places. Partisans near Krasnodar killed 30 and wounded 40 of a German garrison. On the Voronezh front the Russians took Volokonovka, 25 miles north-west of Valuiki, and Budennoye. German Rout. The Russians have grasped the initiative on the Voronezh front more decisively than at any other time during the war, says the Moscow correspondent of “The Times.” Mobile columns are ploughing up the enemy positions and inflicting enormous losses on the Axis forces, which have been thrown into utter confusion, and there are as yet no signs of a successful restoration of the position. The vital Kursk-Kharkov railway is imperilled while such a situation continues. The correspondent emphasizes that the Russian front in the Caucasus is 200 miles broad. Though the Germans have the choice of several highroads from Maikop to the Krasnodar-Tikhoretsk railway, which the Red Air Force is heavily bombing. the Russian momentum down the Baku-Rostov railway makes such a line of escape precarious. With the other land routes threatened, the Kerch Straits are again assuming importance, specially as the Russians are undoubted masters of the Black Sea, possessing a number of submarines and destroyers besides mosquito craft.

ATTACKS GROWING IN INTENSITY

Russian Whirlwind LONDON, January 24. A vast encircling movement by the Red Army is now taking definite shape against Rostov. The Russian victors at Salsk are forming the southern arm of a pincers, and columns are thrusting down from the Donetz in the Kamensk region, constituting the northern arm. , Berlin radio admits that the Russian attacks are growing in intensity and that the enemy at all focal points on the front are employing vast armies and supplies in an effort to break through. Moscow correspondents describe the pace of the Russian advance on some fronts as like a whirlwind.

The military correspondent of the “Daily Express,” Morley Richards, says that the capture of Armavir and Salsk

may compel the Germans to retreat across the Kerch Straits to the Germanheld Ci'imean' Peninsula. The Germans falling back through the northern Caucasus toward Rostov may also try to escape across the Kerch Straits because the Russian drive from Salsk threatens to close their line of retreat, lhe fall of Salsk gravely diminishes the chances of the retreating Germans reaching Rostov. Swam Icy River. The increasing severity of the winter is affecting the character of the lighting, which is practically Concentrated on road and railway junctions. The Russian heavy artillery and infantry, despite deep snow, are manoeuvring with great flexibility. and mobile units are closely pursuing the enemy. The Germans constantly put up obstinate resistance, but the continual threat of encirclement, enforces retreat. Red Army tanks and Cossacks have been performing remarkable exploits, notably in the capture of Armavir, where the Germans blew up the ice covering the Kuban River, hoping that the stream would halt the Russians. Tough Kuban Cossacks swam the icy waters under heavy tire and then engaged the enemy, enabling sappers to build pontoon bridges. A few bouts after tiie capture of the city columns ot German prisoners in ersatz boots and clothing wearily marched eastward with the temperature below zero. Front-line correspondents report that a sense of doom is spreading among the Axis forces, specially Italians, Hungarians and Rumanians, and that units increasingly surrender en bloc. When surrender is' refused the destruction goes on pitilessly.