BATTLE FOR GREAT RIVER BRIDGEHEADS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 228, 25 September 1943, Page 5

BATTLE FOR GREAT RIVER BRIDGEHEADS

HOT ARTILLERY DUEL

Kiev And Dnepropetrovsk Within Russia's Grasp

N.Z. Press Association—Copyright

Rec. 10 a.m.

LONDON. Sept. 24.

Heavy artillery duels outside Kiev and Dnepropetrovsk to-day announced the opening stage of the battle for the great Dnieper River bridgeheads, says Reuters correspondent in Moscow. Red Army tanks and infantry are pressing forward within the inner defence rings of these two German bastions.

One Russian column, advancing against Dnepropetrovsk, is now only four miles from the nearest point on the banks of the Dnieper. It is advancing from Illarionovo, eight miles to the, south-east. The Russians west and south of the recaptured stronghold of Poltava, which is still smoking, are sweeping forward in a bid to push the Germans into the Dnieper. The enemy aeprived of all possibility of effective manoeuvre, is being carved up oy Russian mobile columns. The KUbsians have pushed on 10 miles beyond Poltava. German troops wMo had been clinging desperately to tms vital railway junction for seveiai weeks are now reported to be m iuii retreat toward the Dnieper crossing, but are being harried by Russian bombers and fighters. .. . The Red Army column that has been striking to the north-west of Smolensk has made toward the keypoint of Vl^ bs JE: t v,in was last night reported to be within 30 miles of the town. _~..., Vichy radio says the. have slowed down their ffontai drive against Smolensk, but.are; ferociously attempting to outflanktne town from the north-west by ".eavy attacks from the direction of Vensn and Demodov. The Russians area have progressed for seveid miles. Fighting is going enintne suburbs of Roslavl. The Russians in the area of Gomel have crossea the Soj River at several PO^Vjen. In the middle Dnieper area Gen_ eral Rokossovsky's forces have occu. pied two places 20 miles from Kiev