TWO-PRONGED DRIVE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 18, 22 January 1943, Page 5

TWO-PRONGED DRIVE

FORCES AT VORONEZH

LONDON, January 20. General Golikov's forces on the Voronezh front are pushing on their two-pronged drive northwestwards towards Kursk and south-westwards towards Kharkov, says Renter's Moscow correspondent. The correspondent adds that the "Red Star" reported tonight that the Russians, after piercing tile German defences in an unnamed sector of the Voror nezh front, have penetrated deeply to the rear, and cut the road on the enemy's line of retreat.

Heavy losses were inflicted on Jin Axis column and more than 1000 prisoners were, taken, ■, besides many guns and lorries. • • ~ . . After the capture of Valuiki and Urasova on ' Tuesday, many more towns and villages have been retaken both in this drive and in the one against Kursk. -The latest reports state that the Axis forces are in a critical position in many sectors. A big enemy garrison was trapped at Ostrogozhsk, the capture of which is now announced. The Russian forces farther to the south which swept across the Donets and took Kamensko are now pressing on towards Likhaya, the rail junction 60 miles from Rostov. The Red Army has now crossed the Donets over a stretch of 30 to 40 miles. -

In the northern Caucasus the Soviet forces closing in on Stavropol have captured two points each about 20 miles from this important collective farming centre.

Reports from Moscow indicate that a furious battle is progressing in the Leningrad area as the Germans strive desperately to prevent the Russians from widening the nine-mile corridor linking General Govorov's forces with those of General Meretskov in the Volkhov area. The British United Press correspondent in Moscow says that the German resistance has stiffened, but that the Russians have smashed another strong point and seized, booty. , . . '. An even more furious battle Is de-