HOLDING FIRM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 December 1943, Page 3

HOLDING FIRM

AGAINST ALL GERMAN ASSAULTS Russians in the Kiev Salient ENEMY LOSING A TANK DIVISION A DAY < —— SOVIET COLUMNS DRIVING ON KIROVOGRAD FROM THREE DIRECTIONS LONDON, December 12. , The Russians are still holding- firm against the German attempts to smash through to Kiev. A Russian communique states that yesterday the Red Army dislodged the Germans from several places in the Kiev battle area. Mr Paul Winterton, Moscow representative of the London “News-Chronicle,” says Soviet engineers have built new defences and the Red Army is stubbornly contesting every yard of . ground. At no point have the Germans succeeded in making any serious breach in the Russian lines. The Russians have rushed up anti-tank and other guns and already over 400 tanks have been destroyed since the’ offensive started up again five days ago. This is equal to a tank division wiped out every day. The Germans are still battering away but it is noticeable that they are now beginning to attack on narrow sectors. In the Dnieper bend the Russians are advancing on Kirovograd from three directions and are gradually tightening the net round this important highway centre. No fe T ' r than 11 roads run into Kirovograd. All of these are of the utmost importance to the Germans now that their railway communications are so disorganised. One Soviet spearhead was last reported within 15 miles of Kirovograd. The German radio says Russian troops have penetrated to the area of the railway station at Cherkasy and reports heavy fighting round the station and in other parts of the town. This is the second day running that the Germans have referred to fighting inside Cherkasy. Although this report has not been confirmed from Moscow.it has been known for some time that the Russians were on the’ outskirts of Cherkasy.