TAKEN BY ASSAULT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 127, 24 February 1944, Page 5

TAKEN BY ASSAULT

Russian Capture Of Krivoi Rog (Bv Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received February 23, 7 p.m.) LONDON; Feb. 22. Krivoi Rog, the last German stronghold in the Dnieper bend, has fallen to the Russians. Marshal Stalin in an Order of the Day announced: ‘‘Troops of the Third Ukrainian Front as a result of an offensive today carried by assault the town of Krivoi Rog and the area of the Krivoi Ro# iron mines. Earlier, Berlin radio said that the last Germans had withdrawn from Krivoi Rog yesterday afternoon.

The troops who particularly distinguished themselves iu the assault will iu future bear tbe name of Krivoi Rog, and they were saluted tonight by 20 salvos from 224 of Moscow’s guns. . Earlier reports from the Russian capital said that Soviet troops had surrounded Krivoi Rog and that the centre of the town was in flames. One correspondent reported that as the Russian assault troops fought their way through the streets the roar of exploding German ammunition dumps could clearly be heard above the roar of the guns. Tommy-gunners were advancing from street to street facing the fire of German sharpshooters at windows and on rooftops, while Soviet tanks smashed their wav through the enemy barricades. The British .United Press says that Krivoi Rog, besides being a great iron ore centre, was a model city with a prewar population of 150,000. Ten million tons of ore was mined at Krivoi Rog in 1939, roughly three-fifths of Russia s output. The Germans captured Krivoi Rog in August, 1941. Herr Hitler in the course of his latest speech boasted of the importance of Krivoi Rog as an industrial centre. . . There is little doubt, adds the British United Press, that the Germans effectively wrecked the city before evacuation. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent graph’cally describes the final Russian attack against Krovoi Rog: “The centre of the town was in flames, and the thunder nf exploding ammunition dumps mingled with the roar of guns,” he said. “A powerful German garrison was in Krivoi Rog and the Germans who took refuge therein after the Nikopol rout were steadily wiped out in a battle as fierce as the great two-week combat fought at the gates of Krivoi Rog four months ago after the first big Dnieper break-through south of Kremenchug.” “According to Plan.”

The German news agency’s commentator, Major von Hammer, said the German covering formations in the area of Krivoi Rog were engaged in stubborn defensive fighting against unusually strong Russian tank and infantry forces. Developments had led to the decision to evacuate the area of Krivoi Rog as part of planned large scale operations. For two days demolition squads were employed in destroying industrial and military installations in Krivoi Rog. Lhe task was completed at noon yesterday, when the last of the covering troops were withdrawn from the town area, rhe ruins of the town did not represent a militarily effective gain for the Russians. All heavy weapons, supplies and vehicles were removed before the evacuation of Krivoi Rog. the commentator claimed. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent, reporting on the northern front, says the Russian wedges against Dno and Pskov respectively have driven deeper against the German salient in the last 24 hours.. The most westerly of these columns which is striking south-east from the shorq. of Lake Peipus is now at the gates of Se.redka. 24 miles from Pskov. The Russians before Narva are still holding their fire in anticipation that the final thawing of the Gulf of Finland will permit the Baltic Fleet to operate against the German flanks on the Estonian coast. . A Russian supplementary communique states: “South-west and south of Lake Ilmen the enemy attempted to check our advance by counter-attacks, but was rolled back with heavy losses. West and south-west of Kholm our troops by daring outflanking manoeuvres routed enemy defence points, cut retreat lines and destroyed manpower and equipment. One unit alone killed 1500 and took many pnconers. “The Germans retreated from Krivoi Rog in disorder, abandoning many guns and other equipment and leaving thousands of dead in the approaches to the town and in the streets.” Vichy radio said that the Germans on the northern front were continuing their withdrawal movement between Lakes Peipus and Ilmen. The Russian pressure was particularly fierce along the eastern bank of Lake Peipus. Extremely powerful Russiamnechanized forces are again sweeping to the attack between the Pripet and the Beresina rivers. A German spokesman said that the Germans had ironed out several local breaches in their lines. The Germans evacuated Klmlm according to plan after the destruction of military installations, said the German news agency’s commentator, von Hammer. The Germans in the Svenigorodka area and also enst of Shaskhov withdrew to shortened lines with Russian armoured units iu close pursuit. The German rearguards had temporarily stopped the Russian onslaught.

A new German overseas news agency military commentator appeared today. He is Walter Plato, who apparently has succeeded Captain Sertorius. . who has not broadcast since the last R.A.F. raid on Berlin.

RELIEF FORCE ROUTED Russians Kill 27,000

(Received February 23, 7.30 p.m.) . LONDON, February 22. After the liquidation of the German forces encircled in the Kanev pocket on February 17, the Russians took the offensive against the Germans who attempted to relieve the entrapped units and in the course of four days routed the enemy, says the Soviet Information Bureau. Between February 5 and'February 21, the period in which the Germans attempted to relieve the entrapped units and were routed, the Russians south of Svenigorodka killed 27,000 and took prisoners 1500. They destroyed 827 tanks, 446 guns, 329 planes and 1600 lorries and captured 115 tanks, 270 guns and 800 lorries.

FINNISH UNION LEADER IN SWEDEN

LONDON, February 22. The president of the ’ Finnish Trade Unions, M. Vuori, has arrived in Stockholm and made contact with Swedish politicians and trade union officials, reports Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent. M. Vuori last visited Stockholm in August, when he made no secret of his opinion that Finland should get out of the war and that the majority of Finnish workers shared that opinion. NOT ABOUT POLAND (Received February 23, 8.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, February 22. President Roosevelt said that the message he received from Marshal Stalin yesterday was not connected with the Russian-Polish dispute.