FROM THREE SIDES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 September 1943, Page 6

FROM THREE SIDES

RED ARMY INVESTMENT OF KIEV GERMANS COUNTER-ATTACKING VAINLY. IMPORTANCE OF THE CAPTURE OF SMOLENSK. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day. 11.45 a.m.) LONDON. September 26. The Reel Army is grimly investing Kiev. A force from the northeast is striking down between the Desna and the Dnieper. A force is frontally assaulting the city, while a third force is working up the Dnieper from the south. RvUler saya the Germans a.. :-attacking six times daily ~u ... is no ev.dence that l.i- e>ic...y is -Arnim's iiuVivi cvuu..uu. M u. "The Russians have reached the Dnieper at a number ot places in ire Kiev, Kremenchug and Rnepropetrcr k sectors. The Russians south of Smolensk have advanced eight t< fifteen miles and have captured the district centre of Khotin. In the Vitebsk sector, north-west of Smolensk, the Red Army has advanced four to seven miles and a total of 770 inhabited places were occupied during the day." The communique adds: "The Red Army in the Kuban area captured several places, includng Perenkovo.” Today’s German communique claims that a Russian landing attempt on the Sea of Azov coast ended with the complete destruction of the landing force. The “Daily Mali” editoiiahy says, ■•ihe capture of Smolensk muot rank a.; one or the most supreme feats of the war. The Russians have the satisfaction of knowing that they are finally freeing their own land from the invader.” ' GATES TO WEST THROWN WIDE OPEN. BY LATEST RED ARMY SUCCESSES. (Received This Day, 11.20 a.m.) LONDON, September 26. With Smolensk, the Germans’ greatest communication base on the centra! front, overrun and, according to the newspaper “Moscow News,” “the German plunderers already fleeing from Kiev like rats from a sinking ship,” the Red Army has already been able to turn the Dnieper from a defence barrier into a springboard for a further offensive movement. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says small bridgeheads it is believed havebeen established on the west bank of the Dnieper, between Kiev and Dnepropetrovsk and the main Russ.an for■..cs are trying to extend and consoh -me the bridgeheads in face or t... -cesi artillery and morn.? barrage. ..usman paratroops have, landed in the ■ rear of the German lines on the Middle Dnieper, according to the German news agency. The Moscow radio, summing up the effect of the latest Russian successes, says: “The gates to the west have been thrown wide open.” The German news agency says: ‘‘The Russians are throwing not only divis- ' ions but whole armies into the fight which is a battle of material on a gigantic scale.” ADVANCES MADE IN ALL MAIN SECTORS. SOVIET OFFICIAL REPORTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 1.7 p.m.) RUGBY, September 26. A Soviet communique reports contin’ued offensives, with advances on all sectors and the capture of more than 800 localities during today. In the Kuban area, Soviet troops continued their offensive and occupied several localities. In the Dnepropetrovsk direction, the Russians, overcoming enemy resistance, reached the Dnieper. In the Kremenchug direction the Russians advanced six to 94 miles, occupying 70 localities. In some sectors here ond in the Kiev direction they reached the Dnieper. In the Gomel direction the Red Army advan-i ced seven to 11 miles, occupying the town of Surezh, and the town and railway junction of Novozybkov,* setting free 300 other localities. In the Mogilev direction Soviet troops advanced 9| to 16 miles and occupied over 250 localities. In the Vitebsk direction they advanced in some sectors from four to seven miles and occupied over 200 localities. On Saturday the Russians, in all sectors. destroyed or damaged 40 tanks. In aerial engagements and by anti-air-craft fire 28 German planes were shot down.