VITAL BREAK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 October 1943, Page 4

VITAL BREAK

IN THE DNIEPER LINE EXPLOITED BY RUSSIANS WHOLE GERMAN SOUTHERN ARMY IN DANGER (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10. 35 a.m.) RUGBY, October 18. The Russians have now succeeded in exploiting one of their Dnieper bridgeheads by advancing far into territory west of the river, just below Kremenchug. This is one important part of the Dnieper line where German resistance has given way in the past day or two. Efforts to prevent the Russians deploying from their original foothold southeast of Kremenchug failed along a front of 30 miles.

The Russians advanced about 20 miles south of the river and 30 miles south-east of Kremenchug itself. This brought them to only a dozen miles from the railway running east to Dnepropetrovsk, which is the only east to west line south of Kiev. If Kiev falls and a gigantic encircling movement in the south results, or if the Germans are unable to disengage in the Zaporozhe sector, they will have considerable difficulty in getting away from inside the Dnieper bend, as the forces they have there are very large.

The Russians have also succeeded with a second crossing of the Dnieper, in its middle reaches above Kiev. There a further advance threatens not merely the Dnieper bend, but the whole German front. This crossing is located where the River Soj flows into the Dnieper, 30 miles south of Gomel, and half-way between the mouths of the Eeresina and Pripet rivers. Like the three previous crossings, this has been successfully established to a depth of several miles.

The Moscow radio says the Germans are suffering huge losses in Melitopol, where fierce street fighting continues. It adds that Soviet troops have already pushed ahead from the city centre and occupied the Cathedral and the Cathedral Square. The Germans are launch-; ing counter-attacks, with tanks, from the western part of the city, but all have been repelled. Melitopol has become a huge cemetery for the German Army. FIERCER & WIDER BATTLE BEYOND DNIEPER. GERMANS USING TRANSPORT PLANES. (Received This Day, 12.55 p.m.) LONDON, October 18. With Soviet units pouring into the break through area south-east of Kremenchug, the Moscow radio says new forces are constantly coming up, and the battle is growing fiercer and wider as the Germans attempt to stem the advance. The break through resulted from the highest co-ordination of all units. Regiment after regiment of Russian infantry went into the attack after a twohour artillery barrage. Numerous air squadrons supported the attack. Assault tanks and Stormoviks went into the first breach and disorganised the enemy forces which were preparing to launch a counter-attack. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent reports that the Germans are flying in troops in transport planes to meet the Russian threat. Tonight’s Soviet communique says the Russians have continued to fight stubborn battles in Melitopol, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. The Russians south-east of Kremenchug continued to develop their offensive and advanced three to four miles. The Russians north of Kiev, engaged in repelling enemy infantry and tank counterattacks, extended their bridgeheads on the right bank of the Dnieper. The Russians south of Gomel continued to extend their bridgeheads on the right bank of the Soj River.