MANY CAPTURES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 February 1943, Page 3

MANY CAPTURES

OF IMPORTANT RAILWAY TOWNS PORT OF YEISK ALSO TAKEN GERMANS ADMIT DIFFICULTIES AT ROSTOV. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, February 7. A Soviet special communique last night stated: “On February 6 in the Ukraine, Soviet troops, after fighting fierce engagements, occupied the towns and railway stations of Lisichansk, Barvenkovo (80 miles farther west) and Balakeya. South of Rostov, Soviet troops occupied the town and railway station of Bataisk. Other Soviet troops reached the shores of the Sea of Azov and occupied the town and harbour of The great supply base of Rostov is now in imminent danger of capture by the Russians. After Soviet troops and tanks stormed Bataisk they have gone on to capture another “large town.” They now hold a broad strip of territory facing Rostov and in sight of it. The city is within range of their guns, and it does not seem possible that its fall can long be delayed. An even greater threat —not only to Rostov but to the entire Donetz Basin —is building up far to the north-west of the city. Yesterday the Russians considerably enlarged their two new bridge-heads south of the Don. The most westerly bridgehead has now been extended 25 miles south of the river, with the Russian forces driving down from the north toward the coast of the Sea of Azov. The other forces are making a parallel drive. The Russians are now little more than 100 miles from the coast, threatening to cut off all the German forces in the Donetz basin—the famous Donbas.

The threat also grows against Kharkov, the vital German supply base in southern Russia. On yesterday’s reports the Russians were 45 miles away, and the latest Soviet communique reports that in spite of German counter-at-tacks two large towns still nearer have been captured. Farther north, the Russians are wthin 12 miles of cutting the vital Kursk-Kharkov railway. The remnants of the Germans’ Caucasus army are now huddling together with only one way out —across the hazardous Kerch Straits. Complete evacuation of the Causasus is now only a matter of time.

The Germans have hinted that they may be preparing to abandon Rostov. Berlin denied that the military spokesman had ever said that Rostov would be detendedd. “It appears that this important town will be in a very difficult position when the Russians approach it from all sides,” it was stated.