GERMANS CONCERNED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 January 1943, Page 3

GERMANS CONCERNED

OVER INCREASING FURY OF SOVIET OFFENSIVE Particularly South-West of Voronezh RUSSIANS PRESSING FORWARD ON SIX MALI FIGHTING FRONTS RAPID ADVANCE ON CAUCASIAN RAILWAY JUNCTIONS LONDON, January 26. The Germans aie now talking' about the increasing fury of the Russian offensive, particularly south-west of Voronezh. The Russians are still driving back the German and satellite troops on the six main fighting fronts. The great Russian offensive is gaining momentum every hour. A German communique admits that Soviet attacks in the past 24 hours have increased in fury, particularly on the front south-west of Voronezh, where the Soviet armies are now attacking with fresh troops. Correspondents say the great sweeping move south-west oi Voronezh may hurt Hitler even more than his reverses in the Caucasus. The western arm of the Soviet pincer is reaching out strongly towards Kursk and Kharkov and the eastern arm is still biting into the Donetz basin. On the Voronezh and Donetz fronts the Russians have smashed tough German resistance and occupied more places. At one point south-west of Voronezh a Soviet tank formation encircled a large enemy force which refused to surrender. On a sector on the Donetz front, the Russians stormed and captured some important heights. The Germans made desperate efforts to hold them. In the Northern Caucasus the Germans are still falling back across the Kuban Plains and the advancing Soviet columns are steadily closing’ in on Kropotkin and Tikhoretsk, the last two important railway junctions left to Hitler in the Caucasus. The latest reports put the Russians at only 35 miles away from both places.