FIGHTING IN RUMANIA

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24345, 25 August 1944, Page 5

FIGHTING IN RUMANIA

Thrust To Danube Delta MANYTOWNS TAKEN

(Rec. 12.5 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 24. Russian forces have penetrated deeply into Rumania and are less than 40 miles from the Danube delta. * A Moscow message says the overnight advances of the twopronged offensive by General Malinovsky and Marshal Tolbukhin, which aimed at crashing through the Galati gap between the Carpathians and the Danube, with Bucharest and Ploesti as long-range objectives, has increased the threat to Chisinau. The Russian blows were sudden and overpowering, and Soviet air superiority was especially telling. On the first day of the offensive (he Russians made 2000 sorties, compared with operations by only 13 enemy aeroplanes, Mr Stalin, in an order of the day addressed to General Malinovsky, said. “As a result of an impetuous blow, tanks and troops of the second Ukrainian front to-day (Wednesday) captured Vaslui, an important centre of communications and a strong defence base between the rivers Sereth and Pruth.” ~, , ... In a second order of the day, this time addressed to Marshal Tolbukhin, Mr Stalin said: “Troops of the third Ukrainian front, continuing their offensive, to-day (Wednesday) carried by

assault the towns of Akerman and Bender, important strongholds in the German defences on the lower Dniester.” A Soviet communique says: General Malinovsky’s troops, after having captured Vaslui, occupied 150 additional localities, including 10 railway stations. Marshal Tolbukhin’s troops, who took Akerman and Bender, also occupied 200 other places. Troops of the third Ukrainian front, in addition to the capture of Akerman, occupied Gendery,another important stronghold of the German defences on the lower Dniester.” Thirty-eight miles south of lasy, Vaslui stands on the main railway 85 miles north of Galati.

A Soviet naval communique says that the Black Sea Fleet Air Arm made a concentrated raid against Constanta. By direct hits two enemy transports, four fast landing barges, and three tornedo-cutters were sunk. The British United Press points out that the railway from Chisinau joins the Galati railway only eight miles south of Vaslui, so that the Germans who are garrisoning Chisinau are about to lose their only escape railway. Vaslui is 122 miles from Buzan, the nearest Rumanian oilfield. “The German and Rumanian lines in both sectors where the Russian armies are driving on to the Galati gap are showing further signs of crumbling." says the Exchange Telegraph Agency's correspondent in Moscow. “Thousands of German dead are everywhere, also vast quantities of abandoned enemy war material. Russian tanks, infantry, and guns are moving on steadily southwest under the protection 6t a great aerial umbrella.”

Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says that the 3rd Ukrainian Army outflanked the Black Sea port of Akerman. The German garrison, is is reported, had a corridor 25 miles wide through which it could escape. The Russian drive is also threatening the other Black Sea ports of Sulina and Constanta, which the Red Air Force had been bombing. The correspondent adds that the Red Army is storming towards the Galati gap in a great two-way offensive which has brought Chisinau into the centre of a huge swiftly tightening sack and carried the fighting within less than 50 miles of the Danube delta.

Russia and Japan.—The Chinese newspaper “National Herald,” which reflects the views of the Chinese Foreign Office, has predicted that Russia will declare war on Japan in the near future. The newspaper made the prediction after regretting the necessity for two separate conferences at Dumbarton Oaks because Russia has not declared war on Japan.—Chungking, August 23.