Hurricane Fury of Battle For Western Ukraine

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 56, 9 March 1944, Page 5

Hurricane Fury of Battle For Western Ukraine

Zhukav’s Master Plan Emerging (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) Received Wednesday 11.35 p.m. LONDON, March 8. The battle of the Western Ukraine is rising to hurricane fury as von Mannstein hurls in picked tank and infantry division in an attempt to hold Zhukov’s sweep to the southwest and southeast, reports Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. The front has now broadened out to 130 miles with the Russian right flank bulging out in a threat, although still a distant one, against Lwow. The Russians in their most westerly thrust are pushing on over the headwaters of the Koryn River while another column battering at the approaches to Tarnopol has captured Igrovitsa nine miles northwest of Tarnopol, threatening the German garrison with an outflanking manoeuvre. Observers in Moscow see in the Western Ukraine offensive the outlines of a master plan to clear the whole of the Ukraine in addition to threatening the Germans with another major encirclement. While the temporary slowing down phase is now expected as the Germans exert all their strength to restore the critical situation General Zhukov is carrying out a plan to confuse the Germans by a widely varied choice of objectives. He has a wealth of possibilities from a sudden swoop to Lwow ’to a direct thrust against Odessa. The Germans, according to reports, had recently taken a number of precautions to consolidate and hold tht vital Rumanian communication lines including the despatch of considerable bodies of troops to rail towns like Jassy. Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent says that according to a Berlin military spokesman the Russians are attacking along a 400-mile front. The Voelkischer Beobachter states. “The Russian offensive is increasing in intensity hourly and the question: How long will the Russian Colossus be able tc- throw in such great masses of troops and material to withstand such losses cannot be answered. The German Command and soldiers must make the greatest efforts.” The weather may have a big influence on future operations in Russia. The snow has almost disappeared from the fields. It has not been below freezing point for several nights. ii frontline report says that the fields are almost impassable but the Russians advance in spite of the weather. The report declares that the Germans are surrendering rather than fighting to the last in the face of the Russian lire superiority. Von Mannstein is paying a terrible price for resistance to the Soviet tidal wave, says Reuter's Moscow correspondent. Aoout 40,000 Germans have been killed and 45,000 wounded since the offensive began. The number of prisoners is expected to be exceptionally high. Some German units had 40 per cent, of their effectives in Marshal Zhukov’s barrage alone. Long columns of German prisoners are novv marening north wards behind the Russian lines. The latest report say s that the Soviet attack is cieve*cping with particular intensity towards Tarnopol and the valley of the Seret River, which joins the Dniester about 50 miles below the present fighting area. Marshal Zhukov is widening ana deepening the huge gap torn below the breach cn the XiwowOdessa railway. Von Mannstein is drawing tanks and armoured reinforcements from other sectors. Taese moves are made at the risk of weakening other points on his front. It is only possible for him tc withdraw troops from the left and right wings. Reinforcements from deep in the rear are obtainable only across the Carpathians, which is impracticable where quick aid is required. . The Red Star reports that the retreating Germans in many cases are being pursued in parallel columns, and time and again find themselves well in the rear of the Russian tank forces thundering forward, while the Russian infantry cannot catch the retreating German footsloggers.