Russian Forces Cross Bug River

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 64, 16 March 1944, Page 5

Russian Forces Cross Bug River

DEFENCES SMASHED

Advancing Reds Only 25 Miles From Rumanh

(N.Z.P.A. —Copyright.—Rec. 1 p.m.) . LONDON, March 15. The Russians have forced the crossing of the River Bug on a 60-mile front and advanced to within 25 miles of Rumania. Smashing through German defences on the western bank of the .river, the Russians captured 100 places and advanced from 1 2 to 1 8 miles. They are at one point only seven miles from the Lwow-Odessa railway. The new trap in the Snegirovka area is the Kanev encirclement over again, says the British United Press Moscow correspondent. The Germans' catastrophe resulted from von Mannstein's insistence on maintaining the lines when withdrawal was possible. The same pattern is being followed with the Germans outside the ring trying to break in to rescue. The Red Air Force and Russian mobile artillery are now pounding the encircled troops, who are pinned down in an area of 230 square miles. Hopeless Enemy Position at Nikolayev The encirclement seems to have killed von Mannstein's hopes of holding Nikolayev. He has not only lost a big proportion of his forces for defending the city, but Nikolayev is on the east bank of the Bug River, and the Germans have to fight with a wide river at their rear, cutting off their retreat in the event of a Russian break-through. While three Russian columns are closing in on Nikolayev from the east a combined cavalry and tank force is moving along the north shore of the Dnieper inlet westwards, thereby cutting off Nikolayev from the Black Sea. The Associated Press Moscow correspondent says the most urgent threat to Nikolayev is from the Russians moving southwards towards the city from Shirokaya-r balka, which was captured yesterday. Reuters Moscow correspondent reports that the Red Army in the past 24 hours, advancing at high speed, has extended its grip on the Bug River and now holds a 65-mile stretch in the Uman region. Powerful spearheads are bearing down against the 30-mile stretch of the Bug above Pervomaisk, also against Novo Ukrainka, the attack developing over an 80-mile front against these two points.