NEW DRIVE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 80, 14 January 1944, Page 3

NEW DRIVE

THE FIFTH IN SEVEN WEEKS.

RUSSIANS IN MOZYR REGION'.

IMPORTANT RAILWAY LINES

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec. 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 13.

The Russians’ new drive in the Mozyr region is the fifth offensive in seven weeks, and as far as can be judged, is aimed along the northern side of the Pripet Marshes. One of the places reported as captured is Domanovichi, on the railway, about 20 miles north of Mozyr, and the Russian positions now tend to outflank both Mozyr itself and Kalinkovoclii an important railway junction where the lines north-south and east-west intersect. Three branches of these lines are held by the Russians. The fourth goes westwards to Pinsk and Brest Litovsk.

It is too early yet to assess the weight behind the Russian attack in this region, but if the Russians make further substantial advances they will have the advantage in the north that they have in their deep thrust to Sarny—.their flank will be covered to some extent by the Pripet Marshes. For a month past the Armies north of the marshes have been bogged down. The new offensive suggests that the ground is now frozen hard enough to make possible movements on a large scale of armour and guns.

The German counter-move east of Vinnitsa are described in Moscow messages as so far on a local scale. In one narrow sub-sector the Germans concentrated hundreds of tanks and large forces of infantry in a nightlong battle to break through. The tanks inflicted heavy losses but were unable to prevent local gains. This is clearly the most important part of the front, where the Germans announced their determination to make a stand along the Upper Bug to protect the vital railway running behind it.

In the Dnieper Bend, the Russians are held up at present by the buttress of Smyela and Krovoi Rog, on either side of the offensive, at Kirovograd. Good propress, however, is being made on both sides north of the Pripet Marshes, where the Russian drive on Pinsk threatens the south end of the White Russian front via Gomel.—British Official Wireless.