ALL MAIN RAILWAYS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 August 1943, Page 4

ALL MAIN RAILWAYS

IN THE EASTERN UKRAINE THREATENED BY SURGING RUSSIAN THRUSTS. GOOD PROGRESS TOWARDS POLTAVA. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) LONDON. August 9. The Russians’ surging movements on the Kharkov front now even more plainly indicate that their main object is the envelopment of the whole Eastern Ukrainian communications system, Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says. The Russian thrust which bypassed Kharkov is now well beyond the city, moving in the direction of Poltava, which is a key railway junction 80 miles south-west of Kharkov, controlling all the main Ukrainian railways east of the River Dnieper. The capture of this second base would mean that the Russians were within striking distance of the trunk railway line from Kursk to Kiev. The third Russian force striking from the Byclgorod direction for Kharkov is reported to be within 16 mile's of the city. The British United Press Moscow correspondent says that, simultaneously with the advance against Kharkov itself, a Russian motorised column is rolling across the Ukrainian plains towards the Dnieper at the almost unprecedented pace of 20 miles daily. The Russian armoured spearhead is only 65 miles from Poltava. The position of the German force in Kharkov grows more perilous as the great weight of the Russian attacks bears round on them from the north. The correspondent points out that of the five main railway lines running out of Kharkov, only two are left available to the Germans—one running south and serving the Crimea, and the other south-west towards Poltava. With the Russians now operating in more open country, they are swiftly surrounding isolated German garrisons, wiping them out in slashing dawn attacks.

Another message states that new Russian advances today have brought the Soviet forces within 11 miles of Kharkov.

One Red Army column is within that distance of the great Ukraine city, another has recaptured a .town 30 miles west of Kharkov, and a third has taken a big jump forward and reached an important railway line 67 miles northwest of the, city. The Russians now control large stretches of vital lines running north-westward from Kharkov.

HUNDRED MILES ALREADY TRAVERSED BY SOVIET TROOPS. IN ADVANCE TOWARDS DNIEPER. (Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) LONDON, August 9. The pace of the Russian advance on the Kharkov front in the past few days has been accelerated, says “The Times” Stockholm correspondent. The Russians, since the end of July, have advanced 100 miles from the starting point of their offensive, and if the speed of last week is maintained, they will be on the- Dnieper within a fortnight. It new appears most doubtful that the Germans will be able to save Kharkov.

Meanwhile the Russian forces developing their advance westwards from Orel have practically surrounded the powerfully fortified German stronghold of Khotynets, 30 miles along the railway to Bryansk. Reuter's Moscow correspondent says that, with the fall of Khotynets apparently imminent, a threat is developing to Karachev, which is Bryansk’s last important outpost.

A British United Press correspondent, detailing progress on the Orel 'front, says General Rokossovsky’s troops have captured the railway station of Bevnota, 18 miles west of Orel, and are also moving south-westwards in the Kromy area, where they have reached a point 45 miles east of Bryansk. Russian progress between Orel and Bryansk continues steadily, as before, with the German rearguards hammered back five to ten miles daily along the railway, and on the southern flank the Russian Air Force attacking the retreating German armoured units almost at will. The Russian air superiority is overwhelming.

Tonight’s Soviet communique announces that the Russians advanced 31 to 7 miles on the Bryansk front today, and occupied over 80 inhabited localities, including Khakhovo, 25 miles west of Orel, on the Grek-Bryansk Railway. On the Kharkov front the Russians advanced in some sectors nine to 15 miles and occupied over 100 inhabited places.