RED ARMY SOUTHERN OFFENSIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1943, Page 3

RED ARMY SOUTHERN OFFENSIVE

Extending Rapidly on Great Scale

NEW THRUSTS ACROSS MAIN RAILWAY AND INTO DNIEPER BEND

DEFENCES OF VITEBSK BEING GROUND DOWN

LONDON, December 29. The fall of Korosten, one of the main enemy bases on the Kiev front, is announced in today’s Moscow communique. It is the biggest victory since the Russian, forces went over to the offensive in this area less than a week ago. Korosten fell to troops on the right flank of the attacking forces and its capture puts the Russians once more astride of the main north-south railway. Other Russian forces are closing in on the line on a broad front? Jitomir, another key junction 50 miles further down the line, is closely threatened by the Russians, who today took a town ten miles north of it.. All the gains of ground made by the Germans in their recent Kiev salient offensive have been cancelled out by the Russians, whose offensive has extended to a front of well over 100 miles. Russian forces have struck into new territory south-west of the Kiev salient and are advancing on a broad front towards the railway centres of Berdichev and Kazatin. The tremendous scale of the Russian offensive on the Ukrainian front is shown by the fact that 250 towns and villages were taken by the Red Army today.

South-eastward, where the Germans launched attacks near Kirovograd, the Russians held firmly for the second day running against enemy forces of tanks and infantry. The Russians have launched a new offensive west of Zaporozhe. Over 30 places have been captured and the Russians are now fighting on the approaches to strong German positions. In White Russia, the Russians are steadily grinding down the defences of Vitebsk. A town eight miles to the north-west of that fortress fell today.