The Press SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1942 Russian Offensives

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23813, 5 December 1942, Page 4

The Press SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1942 Russian Offensives

Going on from their achievements in the Don area, north-west and south-west of Stalingrad, the Russians this week have opened a new offensive in the Rzhev sector of the central front. Announcing the new assault last week-end, the Soviet High Command said that in the Velikye Luki area north of Smolensk, the enemy line had been broken along a 30-kilometre front. Between this town and Rzhev, 140 miles to the east, the line had been broken in three stretches 10 to 20 kilometres wide, with penetration from 12 to 30 kilometres in depth. The railway lines on either side of Velikye Luki and between Rzhev and Vyazma had been cut by the Russian forces. These were important gains, and the isolation of Rzhev, the Germans’ main forward base for operations against Moscow, which was then threatened, since appears to have become complete. Renewed Russian activity in this area was not unexpected, as the Germans for some time had been reporting heavy Russian attacks on the central front, particularly at Toropets, just north-east of Velikye Luki. Without some indication of the strength of Russian reserves, it is not yet possible to gauge the scope on which the new Russian offensive has been planned. The immediate objective appears to be the reduction of Rzhev, from which the Russians during the summer failed to drive the Germans. If they can do this—and the reported encirclement of the city gives promise of success—the elimination of the whole German salient thrusting towards Moscow, with its apex on the Rzhev-Vyazma line and its base running from Velikye Luki down to Dorogobush, just south of Smolensk, will become the main Russian task. At the moment this salient is threatened at its north-eastern tip at Rzhev, and from the north along the Velikye Luki-Rzhev line. No quick success is likely in this area, for the Germans in the whole salient are holding strongly-fortified positions which have been established for more than a year, and they are now reported to be counter-attacking strongly. It was against these positions that the bitterly contested Russian advance from Moscow last winter was finally halted. On the southern front, in the Don bend, before Stalingrad, and south-west ot that city, the Russians report continuing successes, but not on the same scale as a week ago, and against stiffening German resistance. The salient thrust down from the northern Seraflmovich-Klet-skaya area crossed the western railway supplying Stalingrad and reached the Don about 20 miles south of Kalach. The salient thrust north from Abganerovo, which originally reached Kalach, was widened and made contact on the Don with the thrust from the north. A large area west of tHe Volga and extending across the Don was thus surrounded, and the German forces attacking Stalingrad were cut off from their main armies to the west and south-west. Within this area the Russians are now engaged in attacking the isolated German forces, apparently achieving most success on the Don north-west of Stalingrad, where they have driven the Germans east across the river. Their aim is apparently to push on until the Germans in Stalingrad are closely pressed from the rear. At the same time they have advanced down the south-western railway to within 10 miles of Kotelnikov. Russian reports of the fighting in this south-western area, particularly at Obilnaya, 60 miles east of Kotelnikov, have incidentally shown that German penetration towards the lower Volga went much further than was officially announced. The Germans before Stalingrad 'are in a serious position, but the Russians themselves disclaim any expectation of a quick and easy victory. The Germans have previously shown unexpected resource in getting out of a difficult situation. Within Stalingrad the Russians have regained some territory in the northern industrial sector, but the Germans here are apparently still capable of offensive action, and there have been no indications that they are abandoning what they have won in the city. It will not be possible to claim complete success for the Russian operations in the Don-Volga area until the threat to their flanks and rear compels the Germans to withdraw from their positions in Stalingrad.