IMPORTANT GAINS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 89, 25 January 1943, Page 5

IMPORTANT GAINS

RUSSIANS THREATEN ROSTOV.

STRATEGIC JUNCTION TAKEN. (X.Z. Press Association— Copyright). LONDON, January 2d. With the Russian capture of the important rail junctions of Armavir and Salsk .the position of the German forces in the Caucasus has greatly deterioiated, and the threat to Rostov has become more grave. Correspondents doubt whether the Germans rvill Lug defend the^ Maikop oilfield, west ot Armavir'. “Armavir, a strategic junction in the German communication lines in the Caucasus, was captured to-day by the Russians after a determined assault,” states a special Moscow announcement. “On the Voronez 1 fron the Red Army captured the district centre and railway station at \ olonXn the Caucasus the next Russian objective is Krapotkin, 40 miles northwest of Armavir, which is also threatened by the thrust up the ' railway from Voroshilovsk. The Russian force advancing down the liiilway roin Salsk, has progressed 20 miles toward Tikhoryetsk, where as Caucasus and Kuban railways join. Another force from Salsk is advancing up the branch railway toward Rostov. i a special Soviet communique states: “The Russians, in nine days’ operations on the Voronezh front have routed 17 divisions, of which four Avere German infantry divisions with a special group of 60 tanks and five special German infantry regiments, nine were Hungarian divisions, and an Italian corps consisting of four divisions. Prisoners taken up to yesterday total 84,000.” . ; ~. The Soviet communique issued today stated: “The six Russian offensives are progressing in the same direction as before. The capture of Novo Egorlyk, announced last night, represents an advance of 35 miles from Voroshilovsk along the railway to Kropotkin. “On the Donets front the [Russians are seven miles from the ■ big industrial centre of Voroshilovgrad. 5 ’ Having crossed the Donets, the Russians appear to he developing a pincer moA r ement Avith the object of enveloping the German armies trapped in the Don bend They have already captured Siniyelpyagi, \vhich is 30 miles south-west of Voronezh, and they are SAveeping on the Voroshilovgrad, o 0 miles to the west. After the capture of Salsk the Russians are moving ion rapidly in the direction of Rostov. Two other Red armies, advancing on Rostov from the north and the east, are within 50 and 45 miles of the city, hut they face much stiffer defences than the southeastern army. In the Stalingrad area, the Russians ha\’e reduced, still further the trapped Axis army just outside the city. - tough battle developed when the Russians attacked German positions, but after fierce resistance the enemy Avas overwhelmed. Berlin admits to-niglit that the Russians have driven a breach into the German lines from the west.