Russians Approach Escape Railway

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24226, 6 April 1944, Page 5

Russians Approach Escape Railway

“Two Russian armies closing in on Odessa from the north[gt and cast are ready for the final assault,” says Reuter’s Mos)W correspondent. “Other Russian forces are racing across the ut two miles to Razdelhaya, key junction on the German garjon’s last escape railway froifi Odessa to the north-west.

“The fall of Razdelnaya will mean that the remnants of von [eist’s 200,000 men will be virtually trapped inside Odessa, [icy will be left with only indifferent roads and a minor railway je linked with the rear by a ferry across the Dniester estuary.

“Meanwhile, two battles of annihilation are going on at the orthern end of the southern battlefront. The Russians in Taropol are cleaning up the remnants of the German garrison in vage street fighting through the last quarter of the town •maining in German hands.

I “Sixty miles to the south-east in the Skala pocket (north-west IfKamenels Podolsk) 15 trapped German divisions are melting L a y hourly under non-stop Russian artillery, infantry, and [ink attacks. The Red Army in the last 24 hours, according to loscow reports, has smashed another bid by the trapped Germans to break out of the ring. The enemy, after massing large trees of panzers and infantry on a narrow front, counterBlacked in an effort to ram through, but was repulsed. The fussians captured several villages and,tightened the ring round he Germans. ‘Red Star’* reports that the whole area of the [kala pocket, in which German masses are hopelessly flouncing, is now under Russian artillery fire.”

The latest Russian communique does not mention the ijvance into Rumania, but Moscow messages say that the Gerians are attempting, witK powerful air support, to check the tussians' drive from their bridgeheads.

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Last night's Russian communique lid: "The Russians besieging Tarnopol have captured the greater part of the town, and in three days of fighting have killed more than 3000 Germans and taken 300 prisoners. "The Red Army west of Dubno (north-east of Lwow) continued the offensive and captured more than 30 places, including Buzhany, 48 miles north-east of Lwow, and four railway itations, including Gorokhov. "Troops of the first Ukrainian front, engaged in battles for the annihilation of the encircled Germans in the Skala area (north-west of Kamenets Podolsk), captured several places. It is reported that the enemy tried to break out, but was repelled with heavy losses. The Russians south of Kamenets Podolsk, after three days of stubborn fighting, captured Hotin, 13 miles south of Kamenets Podolsk, across the Dniester. They wiped out the German garrison.

“The Red Army in the Chisinau sector (in Bessarabia) captured more than 30 places, including Kapircheny, 33 miles north of Chisinau. “The Russians in the Odessa sector captured more than 50 places, including Veselyi, on the Odessa-Lwow

railway.” “Four dramatic developments are under way on the Eastern Front as Marshal Stalin’s Ukrainian armies continue to effect with clockwise precision the Russian High Command’s master plan,” said Reuter’s correspondent in Moscow yesterday. "The developments are:—(l) the great drive for Germany’s oil reserves at Ploesti, which is in full blast with Marshal Koniev’s forces battling at the gates of lasy; (2) the 3rd Ukrainian Army, officered by men who formerly, as simple soldiers, defended Odessa for 69 days, is now crumpling up the outer'defences surrounding the vital Black Sea port; (3) in their new lunge from the north-east, Marshal Zhukov’s troops are only 40 miles from Lwow; (4) Cossacks are tightening the ring around 180,000 Germans in the Skala pocket, 19 miles north-west of Kamenets Podolsk, where scenes reminiscent of the Stalingrad and Kanev disasters are being played out.” The Moscow correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says that Marshal Koniev’s forces are swarming through the valley between the Pruth and the Sereth rivers, only 50 miles from the northernmost Rur.anian oilfield.

“Red Star” reports that the RusBans have cut the Saveni-Botosani highway, in spite of fierce resistance, bringing them 16 miles beyond the Pruth. (Botosani is about 50. miles north-west of lasy, and Saveni is about 20 miles north-east of Botosani.)

According to an “Izvestia” reporter, the bodies of hundreds of Rumanian loldiers were found at a river Pruth crossing with their heads bashed in by rifle butts or bayoneted from behind, as a result of the Germans trying to tally them and then thrusting them aside in order to expedite their flight. Emphasising the importance of Marshal Zhukov’s latest moves against Lwow the British United Press Moscow correspondent says: “The great Russian commander is applying new pressure in the Lwow area with the object of cracking the whole German defence system there. The capture of Gorokhov and Lopatyn yesterday brought the Russians less than 20 miles from the 1940 Polish frontier—the frontier which ‘he Russians recognise. "Of the three great bases guarding Lwow, Tarnopol is all but isolated, Brody is outflanked, and Kowel. judging from German admissions, is surrounded.”

The Official German News Agency yesterday said that the Russians were launching a concerted attack against {towel, incessantly attempting to force he garrison to give up the town. Later we Berlin radio made the first straight {amission that Kowel and Brody were urroundod, saying; “Fighting con‘maes in the encircled towns of Kowel Brody, but the Russians are unable t0 stom them.” hi il n spokesmen are emphasising ne self-sacrificing spirit not only of the Beleaguered troops inside Kowel, ° r °ay, and Tarnopol, but also of the rmen relieving them with ammuthA°*i. and food. The spokesmen say - ij .‘he risk is now so great that the tv . , service is being carried out solely c y volunteers. ’ OTn-h® Stockholm correspondent of , Times” says: “The fact that the ana -: S^ lvice continues virtually day b. bombers and towed aroAf 3 ’ ? boWs how short the Germans imp..; su PPhes. The bombers have their suit„ lo I Scra mmed with supplies, in the difficulty of releasing them bprat, t lO bottoms of the aeroplanes, In? ouj a ' r auction. Half the relievcultv U f/ r i S ar , e lost because of the difflaria, , Ending in • the beleaguered down’ if pa it from the numbers shot ■ n by the Russians.”

«£^i r ?u n Pr aised.-” New Zealand to the sou th Pacific are second baiter? 6- cf his is the opinion of the AmeriAA tat . ( - s Air Command and o 1 ots in the area.” said Avhui i' Commandei ' W. H. Neff, Wafinn lstant at the Navy Public from u S who has just returned an ,;i le w , ar area - “Our airmen have Znaio j^ U3, i.ibed admiration for New tonnfi av ’iators. Air officers unanianau P ra i- Se them as fighting fliers Dial eembor pilots say that it always lana -I 1001 t°°i £ n od when New Zcalic? fttiots accompany them.—Washpton.l April 4.

STREET FIGHTING IN TARNOPOL (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) tec. 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 5.