DRIVE CONTINUES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 86, 22 January 1942, Page 5

DRIVE CONTINUES.

THE RUSSIAN ADVANCE. I NEW PINCER MOVE LIKELY. LONDON, Jim. 21. The Moscow radio this morning quoted a dispatch to “Pravda” saying that General Zhukov’s troops have already driven the Germans six miles further west of Mozhaisk, the capture of which was officially announced by the Russians last night. The iinal attack on Mozhaisk, the last enemy stronghold on the approaches to Moscow, began last Sunday. Hammering at the defences, Soviet artillery and trench mortar fire blasted a breach in the centre of the enemy’s line, and the Russians launched a big pincers attack, advancing north and south of the town.

Seeing that they were threatened with encirclement, the Germans decided to evacuate the town, and left a small force to cover their retreat. After a final artillery barrage Russian forces entered the town and mopped up the remaining enemy, completing the occupation after offensive operations which began in December. A supplementary Russian communique announces another big victory with the recapture of Ostashkov, a town 190 miles north-west of Moscow cn the southern shore of Lake Seliger. Lying' about halfway between Leningrad and Smolensk, it is potentially of great military importance, for : t might he used for the start of two pincers movements, one to encvlop the Germans in the Leningrad area anj the other to bring about the downfall of Smolensk.