THRUST IN SLOVAKIA

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 22, 20 October 1944, Page 5

THRUST IN SLOVAKIA

.. Control Of Mountains (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, October 18. The Russians have launched an offensive from the Carpathians, and Marshal Stalin announced tonight that their forces have driven deep into the eastern comer of Czechoslovakia. They are advancing on a front of more than 170 miles, after winning control of six passes into the Carpathian mountain barrier.

The deepest penetration is in the eastern tip of Slovakia, where Russian troops who stormed the Tatra Pass have freed the town of Rahovo, which is 30 miles inside Slovakia, and not far from the Hungarian 'border. Jasina has also been freed. On the border itself, the town of Sighet has fallen to Russian troops attacking from northern Transylvania. The Russian advance into Czechoslovakia is under the command of General Petrov, commander of the Fourth Ukrainian Army Group. This group has been fighting for the Carpathian passes for some weeks, and had already sent units ahead to establish contact with the Czech Forces of the Interior. The Red Army’s successes after forcing the Carpathian passes into Czechoslovakia provide the first news from Moscow for weeks of General Petrov’s Fourth Ukrainian Army. Reached Partisan Army.

The Russians have now reached the Czech valleys where partisans for weeks have been strangling the German communications, says Reuter’s military correspondent. This forcing of the high, passes in the Tatra and Beskid mountains and the crossing of the Carpathians on the front of 170 miles must rank as one of the greatest of the Red Army’s feats.

it represents the Red Army’s second great threat to Hungary—this time from the north. General Petrov’s army groups have ahead of them river valleys stretching southward toward the Hungarian border, with Budapest not far beyond. It also means that the Russians’ northern pincer is. closing round the armies Of Hungary and Germany who are still fighting in northern Transylvhnia. The Germans, 'in a vast tank -battle at Debrecsen, about 100 miles south of General Petrov’s advance, have been trying to keep the escape gap open. The Yugoslav and the Russian forces have continued the battle for the clearance of Belgrade, says a Soviet communique. . They have encircled an important enemy group south-west of Belgrade. where they are fighting them successfully. The Red Army, in co-opera-tion with Yugoslav and Bulgarian troops in fighting advances, has captured Kursumlja and other places west and southwest -of Nish.

CHAOS IN HUNGARY CONTINUES

Horthy’s Whereabouts (Received October 19, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 19. The Berlin correspondent o fthe Stockholm newspaper “Svenska Dagbladet” says Admiral Horthy has been deported from Hungary to Germany, where he iq interned in a castle. Real news from inside Hungary is still meagre! but according to a Russian correspondent on the frontier, the country is in a chaotic state. The puppet regime seems to be kept going only by the power of German bayonets and its control of the Budapest radio. It does not seem to have any real suppprt among the Hungarian people or the Hungarian army.

BALTIC OFFENSIVE CONTINUES

LONDON, October IS. The Russians have continued their offensive operations north-west of Jelgava and captured several localities, states tonight’s Soviet communique. The German news agency says the Russians in heavy fighting have broken into Virbalis, near the northern border of East Prussia.