RINGS ROUND AXIS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 February 1943, Page 4

RINGS ROUND AXIS

IN GREAT SOVIET OFFENSIVE AIMS PLAINLY DISCLOSED. DESTRUCTION OF LINE OF STRONGHOLDS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.35 a.m.) LONDON, February 10. A million men and thousands of tanks and guns are involved in the great Soviet offensive which began deep in the south and is now spreading to the central front. The Russians are shelling Rostov day and night, while three columns are closing in on Kharkov. Other forces are less than 40 miles south of Orel. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says: “The strategic vastness of the operations makes it difficult to see the Russian offensive as an organic whole, but here is an outline of the Soviet plan as it appears from recent movements: Firstly, in the south, the moppingup of the Kuban area and the recapture of the naval base of Novorossisk. Secondly, two armies, from the south and east, are closing in on Rostov in order to seal off the Caucasus. Thirdly, a vast outflanking movement has been launched from Isyum towards the Sea of Azov to draw a ring around the whole Donetz Basin and capture Stalino, Voroshilovgrad, Shakhtui and Taganrog. Fourthly, another ring is tightening around Kharkov. Fifthly, a third ring is closing around Bryansk and Orel. When this gigantic plan has been completed, there will be nothing left of Hitler’s line of strongholds, built at enormous cost in men and materials since the winter of 1941. SOVIET THRUSTS TAKING GERMANS BY SURPRISE. EFFECTIVE NIGHT RAIDING BY GUERILLAS. (Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) LONDON, February 10. Every fresh Soviet success provides proof that the Germans are being beaten by the rapidity of the Soviet thrusts, which take them completely by surprise. For example, the German garrison of Kursk believed that the Russians were being held on the Shigry line, thirty miles distant, when actually they were hammering at the gates of the town. Similarly, the town of Ponyri was encircled so rapidly that the Germans had no time to recover or destroy vast stores before the town was captured. The Berlin radio- reports violent fighting in the Novorossisk area, where the Russians have improved their positions and are continuing to launch powerful attacks against the German bridgehead opposite the Kerch Straits. The Moscow radio says Kuban guerillas are raiding the streets of Novorossisk and Krasnodar at night, hurling grenades, smashing up lorries and troop columns in the streets, blowing up German-occupied houses, setting fire to food and ammunition dumps and knifing or strangling German officers and men. Most of these guerillas are tough Kuban Cossacks. The Germans recently sent 800 men against them, 300 of whom failed to return. The Cossacks, in three months, have killed 4,500 Germans, including a general, destroyed 108 lorries, two railway and nine road bridges and wrecked four troop trains. DRIVES ON KHARKOV FALL OF FURTHER RAILWAY TOWNS. APPROACH TO NOVOROSSISK. ’ (Received This Day, .1.15 p.m.) LONDON, February 10. A special Moscow communique announces the capture of the town and railway station of 40 miles north-east of Kharkov and also the town ?.nd railway station of Chunguyev, 23 miles south-east of Kharkov. The occupation of these towns clearly indicates that -Kharkov is now greatly menaced. An earlier Moscow report said the Russians were pouring through the gap at Byelgorod towards Kharkov. The “Daily Express” Moscow correspondent says that, besides the million men with which he is attacking the south front, General Zhukov holds 3,500,000 men as “leap-frog” replace-; ments. The Rome radio quotes a German report that the Russians have succeeded in landing troops near Novorossisk and establishing a bridgehead. On the Sea of Azov, the Russians have occupied another district centre and railway town and now hold something like 100 miles of coastline.