MAY BE CUT OFF

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 December 1943, Page 3

MAY BE CUT OFF

GERMANS IN DNIEPER BEND DIFFICULT EVACUATION IN PROSPECT. EFFECT OF LOSS OF RAILWAYS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, December 30. The battle for the Ukraine has taken a dramatic new turn with a Red Army offensive in the Dnieper Bend, from Zaporozhe. This new drive, coupled with the sweeping drive west and south-west of Kiev means that the German positions inside the bend are faced with their greatest threat since the Red Army first crossed the Dnieper. These successes mean that the Germans are about to lose the railway running south to Odessa, and they will be left with only one line running through Zhmeninka, 60 miles southwest of Kazatin. Even 60 miles is no great distance in view of the speed of the Russian progress. The new Russian offensive from Zaporozhe is obviously aimed at linking up with the drive on Berdichev. The “News Chronicle” correspondent in Moscow, Paul Winterton, says that the new Dnieper drive menaces the Germans round Nikopol, where they hold a sizable bridgehead, but unless they are immediately evacuated they are in danger of being cut off. In view of the present state of the German communications in the Dnieper bend this may prove a task of super dimensions.

SPREADING OUT

GENERAL VATUTIN’S FORCES AND CLAWING THEIR WAY THROUGH UKRAINE MORE SIGNS OF GERMAN WEAKNESS (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY, December 30. General Vatutin’s armoured forces, having broken out of wooded areas on to the open plains, are now approaching Novograd and Volynsk, says a Moscow message. Troops on the southern front have spread out, extended a wedge towards Vinnitsa and bypassed Belayatserkos. The Russians are clawing their way through the Ukraine in scores of local pincer movements and are hourly increasing their toll of prisoners of war and booty. These operations are part of a general movement in two directions towards Novograd, Volynsk and Vinnitsa, but they may veer towards other major points as neighbouring sectors burst into activity. The latest Soviet advances equal the achievements of the best days of the summer campaign and have been achieved in spite of the poor condition of the roads, which are still in a liquid state. Rivers and streams are abundant in this area. The Soviet break through followed the failure of Manstein’s army to hurl back the Russians beyond the Dnieper. The mass destruction of Tiger and Ferdinand tanks during the past seven weeks was carried out by special types of shells. As an anti-tank weapon the Soviet artillery is now even stronger than in the battle of the Kursk salient, where Germany’s new heavy tank formations met their first crushing defeat. The failure of the Germans to hold Zazatin indicates that their defences arc so weakened that considerable further retreats may be imposed on them. Continued advances by the Russians in this area are so improving their communications that the gigantic weight of the present offensive can be speedily intensified.

Soviet newspapers are publishing articles surveying 1943 as a year of great victories, underlining the special importance of the victory in the Stalingrad area. The success of the Allied forces in the Mediterranean area is given great prominence. A Moscow message says Partisans in White Russia are dealing new blows against the invaders. During the last few days a partisan group has derailed nine enemy military trains on the Orsha-Borisov line, wrecking eight engines and 47 wagons with military loads and killing over 130 Germans. Three Partisan groups attacked a section of the Minsk Highway. They killed 168 Germans and destroyed 20 ammunition cars, one armoured car and several guns. Another partisan group, operating in the Polessje region, derailed an enemy military train, blew up seven lorries and killed 83 Germans.