THE LENINGRAD FRONT

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23536, 14 January 1942, Page 5

THE LENINGRAD FRONT

Russians Prepare Trap PINCERS CLOSING BEFORE MOSCOW (Received January 13, 7 p.m.) LONDON, January 12. Concrete Information about operations on the Leningrad region is still meagre, but according ‘to the Stockholm correspondent 'of ‘ "The Times” it shows that a more determined Russian onslaught is rapidly maturing to trap the German beleaguerers east of the Leningrad-Moscow railway, unless they retreat precipitately from Schluesselburg. So far there is no sign that the Germans intend to withdraw. It is noteworthy, he adds, that although Jrost has lately made the southeastern part of Lake Ladoga practically like a firm Russian steppe, the Germans from Schluesselburg are unable to prevent brisk Russian traffic across it between the outside Russian world and the approaches to Leningrad’s valiant garrison, who presumably have received, complementary supplies for impending operations. The preliminary serious squeezing between the garrison and the Russians pressing along the Moscow -Leningrad railway through Malayavishera and Chudovo, which the beleaguerers experienced towards the end of December, gave them a foretaste of what they can expect soon. Soviet Pincers Movement' < The Stockholm correspondent of “The Times" goes on to say that the Russian right wing on the Moscow front made little ground last week, while men and materials were being bought up through Staritsa for an assault against the Moscow-Riga railway In the region of Hzhev. A new push or pushes began at the week-end aimed at by-passing RzhCv. by a thrust between Rzhev and Volokolamsk and by another from Vysokoye, 14 miles north and slightly west of Staritsa, aiming to skirt the southern spur of the Valdai The Germans admit the thrust between Rzhev and Volokolamsk, describing it as a violent tank assault in 10 degrees of frost centigrade, A Russian break-through here in force would make desperate the already perilous position of all the Germans north and south of the Vyazma-Mozhaisk line, as General Zhukov’s left arm Has made great progress on a broad front between Kaluga and Bryansk. With the Russians in their present mood, it can be said even now that If the Germans seek safety for the winter they bad better begin accelerating their withdrawal from the Mozhaisk sector immediately. Threat To Orel Berlin is apparently preparing the public for the abandonment of Orel by announcing that the Russians are heavily attacking the town, the correspondent says. The Russians’ general westward movement, he adds, now appears to have been resumed between the Orel region and the Kursk region, while pressure continues east of Kharkov. There is fresh activity also from the Donets direction near the Sea of Azov, where the Germans will scarcely be able to bring up reserves quickly, as some have been diverted to halt the landslides in the Crimea. It is pointed out authoritatively in London that the southern arm of the Russian pincers movement is now in a good position to close northward behind the whole German front west of Moscow. By capturing Lyudinovo, 40 miles north of Bryansk, the Russians have cut the main north-south railway from Vyazma to Bryansk behind the German front, thus placing the German forces still near Kaluga and Orel in a serious position. Russian troops continue to advance on all sectors of the central front, Says the “Red Star.’’ In the last three days 157 inhabited localities have been retaken. and the tempo of the Russian pursuit is increasing. The Russians have encircled a large city on the southern sector of the Moscow front and have trapped two German regiments and also a tank group. The midday Soviet communique reports continued active operations on several sectors during the night. A supplementary communique says that thanks to the activity of guerrilla bands behind the German lines Russian troops have been able to occupy important places. The Germans lost 2500 men in one sector of the southwestern front in two days.