NEW OFFENSIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 December 1942, Page 3

NEW OFFENSIVE

RUSSIANS SMASH ENEMY DEFENCES ON CENTRAL DON On Sixty-miie Front FIGHTING IN FIERCE BLIZZARD ENEMY TAKEN BY SURPRISE LONDON, December 20. ‘ Despite a fierce blizzard, the Russians have forged ahead in their new offensive on the central Don area, over a front of 60 miles. They have penetrated deeper into the German defence lines and have reoccupied more places and strengthened their grip on important lines of communications. Enemy losses in men and material are rapidly mounting. . Germ3.n forces estimated at about fifteen crack divisions are in danger of encirclement. Two separate Russian armies have smashed they way through the German defence lines and are now sneaking round the enemy’s flanks in a pincer movement. . , A special communique issued from Moscow, giving the first news of this new offensive, stated that Soviet troops had broken through the German front' in the Voronezh area on the central part of the River Don. The Russians had advanced in four days 32 to 56 miles, had occupied 200 localities, including several towns and captured more than 10,000 prisoners and much booty. The enemy left on the battlefield over 20,000 dead. The Russian advance continues. The attack was planned with great care and secrecy and took the enemy completely by surprise. It was preceded by an artillery barrage which played havoc with the German defences on the western bank of the Don. ' The Germans admit that they are engaged in heavy defensive fighting on this front against strong Russian infantry and tank forces. The Germans have attempted to reply with a number of counter-attacks but all have been costly failures. The new Soviet offensive has not taken the punch out of the 'Russian blows on the Stalingrad and central fronts, where the Russians have made new gains.