IN GREAT PERIL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 9, 21 October 1943, Page 3

IN GREAT PERIL

GERMANS IN LOWER DNIEPER. THREATS FROM THREE SIDES. FIGHTING AT MELITOPOL. (N.Z. Press Association — Copyright..) (Rec. 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 20. As a result of the cutting of the railway behind Dnepropetrovsk the Germans in the LoAver Dnieper Bend are in great peril. The Russian offensive from Kremenchug has made great lieadAvay in the last feAV days and the great iron ore centre of Krivoirog and the manganese mines of Nikopol are almost Avithin reach. The present vast Russian design is compared in London to the offensive on the Don-Volga front last year, Avhen the circumstances Avere in some ways similar. The most serious immediate menace is the thrust from Kremenchug, coinciding with strong pressure through Zaporozhe and Melitopol. This seems likely to pinch out the Germans in Dnepropetrovsk. The second threat is made by the crossings of the Middle Dnieper beloav and above Kiev. The strongest pressure in this sector comes from the north, tOAvard and behind Kiev. Further advance here threatens to make untenable the whole German position in the Ukraine and the Crimea.

The third —a double—thrust is aimed at both sides of Gomel and seems likely to envelop that city. Exploitation of this third movement threatens not only the Dnieper line, but also the rest of the front. Messages from Russian sources indicate that the Germans have been ordered, as at Stalingrad, to hold the present positions at all costs and the bloody battle raging at Melitopol is bearing this out. Whether the Germans at Dnepropetrovsk and on the LoAver Dnieper, however, remembering Avhat happened at Stalingrad, will carry matters to such extremes remains to be seen.

The peril of their situation may perhaps be judged from a statement in the newspaper “Izvestia” that Kiev, Zhitomier and Lwow now await liberation. Lavoav is fully 300 miles west of Kiev.

Fighting in the area and city of Melitopol is going on Avith undiminished vigour, says the Moscoav radio. At daAvn on Wednesday the Germans opened a terrific artillery barrage and then motorised infantry and a very large number of tanks attacked the Soviet troops from three directions. The enemy attempted to break through to the river crossing to cut off the Soviet troops Avho Avere fighting in the vicinitty of the city and south-west of it.

During the day Soviet artillery in the vicinity of the city disabled 30 enemy tanks and Aviped out a regiment of motorised infantry. Soviet artillery, shelling concentrations of enemy forces, inflicted huge losses. The enemy changed his tactics and attacked with small groups of tanks. The Soviet artillery repelled 10 count-er-attacks and not a single enemy tank reached the Soviet defence lines. —British Official Wireless.

IMPORTANCE OF PYATiKHATKA (Rec. 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 20. “Pyatikhatka was taken from the Germans after extremely stiff fighting,” says the Moscow radio. “The Germans at the approaches to the town threw in several divisions, with tanks and aeroplanes. The Russians spared their forces until the enemy was exhausted and then struck successfully. The swift Russian attack bewildered and disorganised the Germans, broke them up into isolated groups, and prevented them from using their reserves. “The significance of the victory at Pyatikhatka can hardly be exaggerated. It is one of the most important centres between Melitopol and Kiev, and connects Dnepropetrovsk with Krivoi Rog and Kremenchug,” Reuter’s correspondent at Moscow says that Russian infantry and guns are pouring steadily in an increasing stream through the big gap torn in the German defences south-east of Kremenchug. This is the greatest victory the Russians have scored since they crossed the Dnieper three weeks ago. The Russian capture of Pyatikhatka seriously threatens the German forces inside the Dnieper bend. “Red Star” says that the Russians after cutting the railway between Melitopol and Sebastopol have now cut the highway linking Melitopol with the Crimea, leaving the German forces in the Crimea only one outlet—the single-track railway over the Perekop isthmus. The line, which was constructed shortly before the outbreak of the war, runs as far as Kherson, beyond which the Germans must ferry themselves across the mile-wide Dnieper.

The Stockholm correspondent of “The Times” says: “A German spokesman yesterday gave the first hint that the relentless Russian pressure may force the Germans to withdraw from Kiev.

“The Russian drive south-east of Kremenchug is also causing the greatest anxiety in Berlin, where it is openly said that the Russians are aiming at Odessa, to outflank the Germans and produce a new and much bigger ‘Stalingrad.’ Swedish correspondents say that the tension in Berlin is acute.”