RUSSIANS LEAVE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 35, 20 November 1943, Page 3

RUSSIANS LEAVE

EVACUATION OF JITOMIR.

GAINS MADE ELSEWHERE,

TERRITORY GAINED ON DNIEPER,

(N.Z. Press Association-—Copyright.) (Rec. 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 19. The Russians have evacuated Jilomir. This was officially announced in Moscow to-night.

M. Stalin, in an order of the day, announced the capture of Ovruch, on the north-western edge of the Kiev bulge. The Russians a fortnight ago held a bridgehead of 700 or 800 square miles on the west bank of the Dnieper, above Kiev. The Russians today, as they approach the Beresine River, occupy 10,000 square miles of the west bank of the Dnieper. They hold almost the whole area below the Beresine River, bordered on the west by the Jitomir - Mosir railway and southwards by the Zigzag front from Kiev to Jitomir.

The capture of Korosten opens up new vistas for the Red Army. The “Red Star” ,says its capture enables tlie Russians to manoeuvre reserves for new, important, strategical operations.

The Moscow radio revealed that the divisions which relieved Stalingrad a year ago are taking part in a great drive west of the Dnieper.

The radio also added that the Stalingrad offensive had changed the whole course of thd war. The Russian communique to-night says that under orders of the Supi’eme Command the Russians, in view of the unfavourable nature of their positions, evacuated Jitomir and occupied other positions more favourable for defence.

A few minutes after the issue of the Soviet communique announcing the evacuation of Jitomir thP Berlin radio declared: “The position of the Soviet forces in the Jitomir area is deteriorating every minute. Despite vigorous Russian resistance the Germans have succeeded in surrounding an advanced Soviet force and compelled the Russians, by energetic attacks against their flanks, to withdraw from an important road.”

Earlier to-day correspondents at Moscow reported that the tempo of the battle in the Jitomir wedge was still mounting. Reuter’s said the Germans yesterday and to-day poured in more men and tanks and with clearer skies a greater number of German planes was taking part. The Russian night communique says that troops of the first Ukrainian front, as the result of a swift blow last night occupied the town and railway junction of Ovruch and 30 inhabited places. The Russians in the Chekasy region crossed the Dnieper and captured several fortified enemy strong points on the west bank and are now fighting at the approaches to Chekasy.