TAKEN BY THE RUSSIANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 October 1943, Page 3

TAKEN BY THE RUSSIANS

Further Notable Advance in Battle of Dnieper Bend MAIN RAILWAY CUT WEST OF DNEPROPETROVSK > • GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACKS SMASHED NORTH OF KIEV LONDON, October 19. _ In their offensive south-east of Kremenchug’, the Russians have cut the main railway running west from Dnepropetrovsk. This railway approximately follows the course of the Dnieper. A Moscow communique, announcing this fresh success, states that Soviet troops have made an advance of between nine and twelve miles in this area and have captured an important railway junction 60 miles west of Dnepropetrovsk. A hundred towns and villages have been reoccupied and nearly 2 000 German prisoners have been captured, besides great quantities of booty, including 172 guns, 1,300 lorries, 600 machineguns, 30 tanks and 15 troop trains. Since last Sunday, the Soviet forces have advanced nearly 50 miles. North of Kiev more German counter-attacks have been smashed and the Russians have widened their bridgehead. In White Russia, Soviet forces have made further progress and widened their bridgehead across the Dnieper. South of Gomel, they have also improved their positions in some sectors. For the first time for several days, the Soviet communique does not mention fighting in Melitopol. Earlier reports said full-scale tank battles were being fought out in the smashed streets. The town was burning fiercely.