SLIPPING FROM NAZI GRASP

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 126, 23 February 1944, Page 5

SLIPPING FROM NAZI GRASP

Fighting In Krivoi Rog (By Telegraph.—Pres« Assn. —Copyright.)

LONDON, February 22. ■ The Russians have carried their offensive into the streets of Krivoi Rog, the last German stronghold in the Dnieper bend. Reports from Moscow say that the city is almost surrounded and the Soviet tanks are flattening out barracks to make way for the infantry. The great iron-ore city is slipping from the Germans’ grasp, threatening their whole position along the lower Dnieper. On the northern front, Russian forces are reported to be 20 miles from Dno.

Krivoi Rog stands at the head of a German salient sticking into the Russian lines about 50 miles from Nikopol on the Dnieper. Reuter said yesterday the Russians are marching against the rear of Krivoi Rog, which has already been outflanked in the north-west and southeast. „ German Retreat to Dno. LONDON, February-21. The Germans are falling back to Dno at an increasing pace and are rolling out log barriers and dynamiting bridges and river ice to delay the Russians, but are suffering heavily in men and materials. The Russians advancing from Staraya Russa are maintaining their advance and mopping up stragglers. The railway between Staraya Russa and Shimsk, 30 miles to the nortjj-east, is in Russian hands. Two of three Russian armies combining in the drive against Pskov, have linked up in a broad arc and now are converging from the north-west, northeast and east for an assault against Dno, Pskov’s most eastern outpost, reports Reuter. These forces are reported to be between 20 and 30 miles from Dno after advancing from 10 to 15 miles in 24 hours. .• The .Russian communique states: Ibe Russians south-west and south of Luga fought their way into a number of localities and south-west, west and south of Lake Ilmen continued the offensive and occupied Soltsa, a district centre in the Leningrad region, and Kholm, a district centre in the Kalinin region, also the railway station of Nizy and 100 mjhabited localities. „ . . _ ~ The Russians in the Krivoi Rog direc-' tion assumed the offensive and occupied the railway station of Dolginzevo, also 50 inhabited localities.. The Russians have closed in against Krivoi Rog and fighting is now in progress in the suburbs.” ' , x Prisoners and Booty.

A special Russian communique, summarizing the month's offensive on the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts, says: “The Rusisans have advanced 90 to 155 miles, have killed more than 90,000 Germans, have taken 7200 prisoners and destroyed 97 planes and 2175 tanks. The booty listed includes 189 tanks, I&>2 guns, 42,000 rifles, 1,000,000 shells, 17,000,000 rounds of ammunition, 2648 lorries, and 615 railway wagons.” Berlin radio’s military commientator admits the retreat on r the Lake Ilmen front and also that the Germans south of Krivoi Rog are engaged in bitter defensive battles. , The German High Command spokesman in Berlin says: “The withdrawal of the bulk of the German forces between Lakes Peipus and Ilmen is continuing according to plan. The pressure of the Russian forces converging on Pskov is increasing. The German command has succeeded in stabilizing z the Narva front. Fighting is increasing in violence along the whole northern sector. We warded off most of the Russian attacks, but bitter fighting is going on at several points where the Russians have penetrated the German lines.”

PEACE WITH HONOUR

Russian Terms Believed Offered To Finland (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 21.

It is believed in Stockholm that M. Passikivi is about to return to Helsinki to inform the Finnish leaders of what he has learnt aboufi the Russian attitude to the prospect of a separate peace.- No statement on his visit has been issued at any stage. Nevertheless it .is believed that the Soviet has offered terms and that they hold out good hopes of Finland extricating herself honourably from the disastrous situation into which her rulers plunged her. This belief has been voiced by a leading article in the Stockholm Communist newspaper “Ny Dag,” It was stated that “unconditional surrender” dicl not exclude the possibility of conditions being negotiated whereby Finland could cease fighting Russia or even “liange sides. It was also indicated that Moscow’s attitude to the Finnish Government, as expressed by Soviet newspapers, did not necessarily mean the Russians would “not negotiate with it. . The presence of a large German force in northern Finland is, however, clearly a major difficulty.

RUSSIA AND POLAND Soviet Ambassador Sees Roosevelt (Received February 22, 10 p.m.) NEW YORK, February 22. The Russian Ambassador, M. Gromyko, conferred with President Roosevelt today in circumstances suggesting that he delivered a message from Marshal Stalin, ’ says the “New York Times” Washington correspondent. It is understood in diplomatic circles that Mr. Roosevelt sent a message to Marshal Stalin about 10 days ago on the Polish question, coinciding with Mr. Churchill s message to Marshal Stalin on the same subject.

FINNISH PORT RAIDED LONDON, February 22. Russian bombers have dropped bombs on the Finnish port of Uleaborg, 300 miles north of Helsinki, leaving fires which could be seen in Sweden.

STEMMERMAN’S DEATH ADMITTED (Received February 22, 7 p.m.) LONDON, February 21. Berlin radio confirmed that General Stemmerman was killed in the Kanev battle. German newspapers say he died heroically within the Russian ring.