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Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 November 1943, Page 4

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FACING THE RED ARMY IMPORTANCE OF JITOMIR. ON MAIN RAILWAY & BASTION OF BUG DEFENCES. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, November 12. The Red Army appears certain to make Jitomir, on the main north-south railway, and one of the main bastions of the Bug River defences, its next prize. Moscow dispatches say latest reports place the Russians less than ten miles from Jitomir, which is already well within range of the Red Army’s guns. A British United Press correspondent points out that the capture of Jitomir ' will not finally cut the Germans’ lateral communications, but will force the enemy to use a roundabout back line, running from Korosten south-west-wards to Sheptovka, and then southeast again to Berdichev, entailing a journey twice the length of the direct route from Korosten to Berdichev via Jitomir. The correspondent adds that Korosten is the real strategic prize in this area, because it is the junction of ; five railways, and there is no line' behind it before the Polish frontier, which the Germans can use as an alternative to the Leilingrad-Odessa railway. The Russians, after taking Jitomir, are expected to strike northwards and threaten (Korosten from the south. The Red Army column nearing Jito- '! mir is advancing on a 70-mile front from the north-east and along the FastovJitomir railway, reports a Reuter correspondent. Other Russian columns - approaching Korosten and Berdichev are only about 30 miles from both towns. NAZI ADMISSIONS BREAK THROUGH WIDENED S.W. OF KIEV. EFFECTIVE SOVIET TANK TACTICS. (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) LONDON, November 12. The Berlin radio admits that the Russians, with concentrated tank forces and several rifle divisions, have again succeeded ;n widening the area of their break through south and south-west of Kiev. Captain Sertorius says the main weight of the Red Army’s offensive still lies in the Kiev area, and adds that the Russian advances are gradually forming a triangle, the point of which is directed at JitoMir., Russian pressure oh both sides of the railway from Kiev to Korosten at the moment has somewhat slackened. The Russians have concentrated 30 divisions in the Krivbi Rbg area, and both Russian and German sources report heavy fighting on fronts father north. The “Izvestia” reports, that the Germans south of Ryechirsa have cieated a powerful defence line. Russian infantry, supported by artillery, broke into the first line of trenches, after a battle lasting for several hours, captured several strongholds, and continue to advance westwards. The German news agency commentator, Von Hammer, says the Russians, using new tactics of giving their tanks extensive escorts of anti-tank guns, threw in a whole tank division and thrust forward along the SmolenskVitebsk military supply road. German withdrew to a shortened line. ■ x The “Pravda” quotes a front line dispatch to the effect that the Germans are fiercely resisting and making numerous counter-attacks, with tanks, west - of Nevel, but that the Russians are overcoming the resistance. According to the Berlin radio, the Russians are attacking the two cornerstones of the German positions in the forest and swamp area of the Nevel salient. GRIP ON KERCH EXTENDED BY RUSSIANS TOWN SET ON FIRE BY GERMANS (Received This Day, 12.35 p.m.) LONDON, November 12. With the Russians how fighting cn the approaches to Kerch and improving their positions dally, the Germans have set fire to Kerch city. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says the Russians, who are now using tanks in the Crimea, have . extended their gbip north and soilth cf the town. Tonight’s Soviet communique says the First Ukrainian Army troops have captured Korostyshev, a district centre in the' Jitomir. region on the Kiev-Fas-tov railway, besides over 100 other inhabited places. The Russians on the Kerch Peninsula have captured a number of strongpoints. The German-controlled Scandinavian telegraph bureau declared: “Berlin is holding its breath at the spectacle of the duel being fought out on the. Russian front and every -new report from the Eastern front is awaited with great - suspense.” The Algiers radio stated that the Rumanians are evacuating oil stocks from Ploesti, while depots of petrol are ready to be blown up whenever a Russian advance makes it necessary.