NAZI LINES SMASHED IN VITEBSK REGION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 11, 14 January 1944, Page 5

NAZI LINES SMASHED IN VITEBSK REGION

REDS FIGHTJN REAR Guerillas Wipe Out Two Enemy Columns N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, Jan. 13. th%* iI T? ry , circles in Berlin admit thrn R , uss i an forces have smashed thiough the German lines in the Vitebsk area and are now fighting '" tn .? German rear, attacking with if., divisions north and south of Vitebsk, states the Berlin correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper Dagens Nyheter. The Moscow correspondent of the British United Press says Ukrainian guerillas, co-operating with General Vatutin's men, were largely responsible for the capture of Sarny 30 miles west of the old Polish border, ine country between Olevsk and Rovno, among the wildest anywhere in Europe, is composed of great forests interspersed with swamps which are almost roadless—ideal for guerilla operations. When General Vatutin burst across the Polish border guerillas massed in the Rovno forests until two long columns of German infantry and tanks rolled eastwards with the object of reinforcing the garrison at Sarny. Enemy Columns Ambushed The guerillas ambushed enemy columns and launched a full-scale attack. The guerillas pinned down the Germans in one of the heaviest battles the guerillas have ever fought. The Germans tried to disengage, but the guerillas clung to them until regular Red Army units arrived. The enemy column's were wiped out and the aid the Sarny garrison was awaiting never arrived. Red Army tanks, after smashing through Sarny, continued along the road west of the town which runs parallel to the one on which the Germans were retiring. Russian tank crews poured a hail of fire into the German columns until they were wiped out.

The Germans, in frenzied efforts, are still counter-attacking east of Vinnitsa, but are being forced back more and more northwards, where General Vatutin's men are only 13 miles north-east of Shepetovka, which is the main gateway to South Poland. Moscow military authorities declare that this area is more important than Sarny.

Reuters correspondent describes the savage fighting east of Vinnitsa as a battle of guns versus tanks. The German commander, Von Mannstein, has mustered all available tanks in a determined effort to halt the Russians, but General Vatutin assembled powerful concentrations of artillery which won the final battle of the Kiev bulge at Jitomir. White Russian Offensive To-night's Soviet communique says:— "Troops of the White Russian Front, under .General Rokossovsky, developed their offensive and occupied more than 40 inhabited places, including Dudichi, 10 miles north of Mosir. The Russians closely approached Mosir, the region centre in White Russia, and the large railway junction of Kalinkoviehi. "Russian forces west and southwest of Sarny captured several localities and a number of railway stations, including Tutovichi, 10 miles west of Sarny, also west and south-west of Novograd Volynsk the Russians captured over 60 places, including Korets, 40 miles east of Rovno, also the railway station of Maidanvila, 13 miles north-east of Shepetovka. "The Red Army west and southwest of Berdichev fought offensive battles and occupied several localities, also east of Vinnitsa it repelled strong counter-attacks."