TAKING SHAPE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 89, 25 January 1943, Page 3

TAKING SHAPE

RUSSIAN ENCIRCLING MOVE. THE THREAT AGAINST ROSTOV. WHIRLWIND SOVIET ADVANCE. (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright). (Rec. 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 24. The Red Army’s vast encircling movement is taking definite shape against Rostov. Russian victors at Salyslc are forming the southern arm of the pincers, and columns thrusting down from the Donets in the Kamensk region are constituting the 1 northern arm.

The Berlin radio admits that Russian attacks are growing in intensity and says that the enemy at all focal points along the front is employing vast armies and supplies in an effort to break through. Moscow correspondents describe the pace of the Russian advance on the same front as like a whirlwind. The military correspondent of the “Daily Express” (Mr Morley Richards) says that the capture of Armavir and Salysk" may compel the Germans, to retreat across the Kerch straits into the German-held Crimean peninsula. The Germans, falling back through the Northern Caucasus, toward Rostov, may also try to escape across the Kerch Straits, because the Russian drive from Salysk threatens to close their retreat. The fall of Salysk gravely diminishes the chances of the retreating Germans reaching Rostov. Reuter’s correspondent at Moscow' reports that General Golikov’s armies on the Voronezh front, after the capture of Tudenny, are 45 miles from Byetgorod, an important junction on the Moscow-Crimea, railway, via Kharkov, the cutting of which would isolate the coalfields in the Don basin, and increase the Germans’ difficulties of communication. General Golikoy’s columns are also reaching out toward Kursk. *

The Russians seem to be avoiding an advance via the Don Basin, which is full of towns and villages, many with easily-defended stone houses. - They are working round to the north-west, possibly aiming at throwing the Germans back to the Dneiper. Simultaneously the southernmost Russians, after taking a junction controlling rail communications from Kuban and the SalskRostov railway, have reached Tselina, within 90 miles of Rostov. The main Caucasian forces, after the capture of Armavir, are speeding on with a view to menacing the Krasnodar-Tikhoretsk railway. Other Soviet columns are thrusting across the foothills to Maikop. These advances generally very gravely endanger all German communications to Rostov.

Russian guerillas aye incessantly harassing the enemy’s rear. The increasing severity of the winter is affecting the character of the fighting, which is practically concentrated on road and railway junctions. The Russian heavy artillery and infantry, despite the snow, .is manoeuvring with considerable flexibility, and mobile units are closely pursuing the enemy.The Germans constantly and obstinately resist, hut the continual threat of" encirclement enforces retreat. Red Army tanks and Cossacks have performed remarkable exploits, notably in the capture of Armavir, where the Germans blew up ice covering the Ivuhan River, hoping that the stream would half the Russians Tough Kuban Cossacks swam the icy waters under heavy fire and then engaged the enemy and enabled sappers to build pontoon bridges. A few hours after the capture of the city columns of German prisoners in ersatz hoots and clothing wearily marched eastward in a temperature below zero.

Correspondents at the front report that a sense of. doom is spreading among the Axis forces, especially the Italians, Hungarians and Rumanians. Units increasingly surrender en bloc. When surrender is refused the destruction goes on pitilessly.