CONVERGING THRUSTS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 124, 21 February 1944, Page 5

CONVERGING THRUSTS

Russian Drive In North Threatens New Trap

(Received February 21, 1.45 a.m.) LONDON, February 20. Faced with the threat of a new trap, the Germans on the northern front are fighting desperately to pull out of tne area between Pskov and Lake Ilmen as. the Red Army speeds up its drive toward Pskov, says Reuter’s Moscow cor respondent. He adds that the Red Arnij (following the storming of Staraya Russ.i is driving toward Pskov in three converging thrusts from the north, north-ease and east. The Russians are also making a series of rapid outflanking movements threatening the heavily battered 1 Germans with encirclement. The first objective in the Russian thrust from Staraya Russa is the important rail junction' of Dno, from which one Russian column is now only 20 miles. Miscow radio reports: ‘ The Russians in their new offensive south of Lake 11 men have driven through the so-called German iron wall in the east, a. wall so solid that the Germans thought it wouL> withstand any blow, but the Red Army burst it at several points and our offensive continues.” Berlin radio says that heavy fightim, continues in the Krivoi Rog area where the Russians are making a new attempt to encircle the German forces by twin drives from the north and southeast. Fighting is specially fierce south-east Oi. the town where the Russians have penetrated into the main German defence line.