THREATENED BY ADVANCING RUSSIANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 February 1943, Page 3

THREATENED BY ADVANCING RUSSIANS

Thrusts Towards Orel SOVIET FORCES RESUME OFFENSIVE IN CAUCASUS NOW 35 MILES FROM NOVOROSSISK LONDON, February 19. The Russian armies, keeping’ up their devastating offensive along a 600-mile front, are tonight closing in on foujr main bastions of Hitler’s defence system. In the north, the big German base of Orel is increasingly threatened by Soviet twin thrusts from the south and east. In both directions the Russians are only about 30 miles away. They are also developing another threat to the city from the north. The Germans are known to have very large forces in Orel. Though some of them may have been transferred, it is thought likely that those remaining will put up a tough fight to keep out the Russians. ' - • Further south the Soviet columns advancing westward of Kharkov are now well on the way to Poltava. The Germans are using considerable reinforcements in an effort to stop the Russian drive but so far without success. The third threat is aimed at Taganrog. Now that the Russians have cut the only railway line running out of it, its fall cannot be long delayed. The Germans are already stated to be evacuating Taganrog aerodrome. A Berlin spokesman earliei today said the German garrison had taken up new positions north of the town. After a short lull, the Northern Caucasus has come back into the picture tonight with the news that the Russians have resumed their offensive against the remaining enemy pockets. In the neighbourhood of Novorossisk, the Russians are advancing from the east and north and are now reported to be about 35 miles away. ' Last night’s Russian communique recorded a new advance from the east of 'Orel, and reported that the Russians had captured Zalegoshch, 30 miles from the city. Westward of Rostov, the Russians took Matveyev Kurgan, 25 miles due north of Taganrog. In the Kuban area the town of Severskaya, 50 miles north-east of Novorossisk, was occupied.