EIGHT DIVISIONS ROUTED

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24151, 10 January 1944, Page 5

EIGHT DIVISIONS ROUTED

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, January 9. Russian forces have taken Kirovograd, in the Dnieper bend. An order of the day issued by Mr Stalin, addressed to General Koniev, says: “Troops of the second Ukrainian front, having broken through strong German defences to-day (Saturday), as a result of a skilful by-pass manoeuvre, occupied the town of Kirovograd, an important stronghold of German defence.

“In four days of stubborn fighting the Soviet troops have increased the width of their break-through to 75 miles and advanced from 19 to 31 miles. In the course of this offensive the Soviet troops routed three enemy tank divisions, one motorised division, and four infantry divisions.”

“The linking up of the first Ukrainian front troops with those holding the Dnieper bridgehead at Bukrinsky (south-west of Pereyaslavl) was effected after General Vatutin’s forces had occupied Rzhyshchev, south of Kiev,” says a Soviet supplementary communique.

The Russians are now rolling massively forward beyond Kirovograd, threatening the Germans in the Dnieper bend with the loss of their remaining ways of escape. They are already 14 miles south-east of Kirovograd, half-way to the rail centre of Dolinsk, which feeds Krivoi Rog. To the south, they are driving against the big road centre of Bobrinets, and to the Bouth-west along the railway to Novo Ukrainka.

These movements are placing a stranglehold on the Germans in the bend. A dispatch from Moscow to the 8.8.C. says that the Germans have not evacuated the bend because they dare not risk the consequences of a disengaging movement with such Btrong Russian forces on both sides of them.

"Russian tank columns are lunging forward to close the routes on which the Germans are relying for escape from the areas they are holding northeast of the Dnieper bend,” reports the Moscow correspondent of the British United Press. "Russian advance guards, pushing on, are nearly 25 miles southwest of Kirovograd, and other columns are driving westward from Cherkasy_ to cut across the base of the deep German salient round Kanev. “General Koniev’s tanks further south continue to press back the German lines guarding Smyelo. “Meanwhile, General Vatutin's men far to the west of these battles in the Dnieper bend are closing on Vinnitsa. The capture of Vinnitsa will release units to strengthen the Russian drive against Zhmerinka, one of the Germans’ major supply bases behind the Bug river and on the approaches to the Balkans,” "In their breakthrough in the Kirovograd sector the second Ukrainian front troops, after crossing the Ingul, occupied the locality of Gruznoye and cut the railway line from Kirovograd to Novo Ukrainka,” said a Russian supplementary communique. “Others occupied the railway station at Lelekovka, and to the south of this railway station joined troops advancing from the south-west. Thus the Russian troops completely encircled Kirovograd, as well as the German units defending the town. Enemy formations outside the town have been routed and are abandoning arms and war material. A large number of prisoners have been captured.”

“The encirclement of Kirovograd was the result of a lightning switch-over -from the defensive to the offensive by General Koniev,’’ says a Moscow message. "Until the beginning of the New Year the Germans had the initiative in this sector, attacking with 100 tanks at a time in an effort to recapture Snamenka. General Koniev let’ the Germans disperse their exhausted forces and then hit back, his offensive opening on January 5. Sunken roads, woods, and gullies enabled General Koniev to take up his initial positions in secrecy, completely baffling the enemy’s reconnaissance, while groups of tanks and motor-cycles daily ambushed enemy reinforcements in the area.

"The offensive began with a storm of artillery fire blasting great gaps in thej German defences. Soviet tankstheni rushed through the gaps and intersected the system of roads which connected the numerous German strongholds in the area. After this the Soviet main forces were able to increase their pressure on the German flank and widen the breach. Scores of local

German garrisons were surrounded find wiped out in the first few hours. “An avalanche of guns, tanks, and infantry rolled down from the a 'ea of Snamoiika to the eastern approaches of Kirovograd, swung westward, and bypassed the city from the north and south. Other troops who had been Placed in position nearer Kirovograd then crossed the river Ingul and cut off the German escape routes to the west.’ While one Eussian army is pressing into the heart of the Dnieper bend, another i? making an equally important thrust c-ainst the railways linking the German? in the bend with the front? to the nerth-west. The Red Army ha? advanced closer to the important junction of Vinnitsa, which is strongly defended, A strong Russian column has broken through to the east of Vinnitsa find yesterday captured a junction v.ei! \ “ ,e south-east of the town. '* .(. Russians are also almost within ■unking distance of Zhmerinka. on the tbain railway to Odessa. If they cut ns railway, and the railway thriinuh tnnilsa, the position of the German? we Dnieper bend will be untenable.