SWEEPING FORWARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 November 1943, Page 3

SWEEPING FORWARD

RUSSIAN ARMIES IN UKRAINE Extended Advances West and South of Kiev SOME DETAILS OF HEAVY GERMAN LOSSES POSITION OF ENEMY SOUTHERN FORCES MADE CRITICAL LONDON, November 8. The Russians are sweeping forward on a wide front in the Western Ukraine. . . A Soviet communique says the Russian armies, continuing their big offensive, have taken more than 60 new towns and villages. One of these is on the approach to Jitomir, the next big junction west of Kiev. Another is ten miles beyond Fostov, so that in their drive south-west from Kiev the Soviet troops have covered a distance of 50 miles. In the battles round Kiev over 15,000 Germans were killed and 9,000 were taken prisoner. Nine enemy infantry divisions, two tank divisions, and a motorised divisioan were routed in the Kiev battles. The Germans lost more than 200 tanks. A correspondent states that, with their main communications with the Dnieper bend cut, the difficulties of the German southern armies have been doubled overnight. Doubts are expressed as to the ability of the Germans to make a defensive stand on the River Bug, 100 miles westward of the Russian CO ' fi* Enemy forces of considerable strength are trapped in the Crimea. The Russians report that they have enlarged and extended their bridgehead in the Kerch Peninsula. It is thought that it has now become a matter of introducing heavy forces from the Kuban area in a strength sufficient to smash the German defences.