DRIVE ON ROSTOV

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

DRIVE ON ROSTOV

LONDON, January 21. Within a circle of 100 miles from Rostov, Russian armies are reported to be closing in on three rail centres linked With the great Don city. North-west of Rostov, the Re£ Army is now within 25 mfles of Vorpshilovgrad, the capital of the Donets industrial region. The advancing Soviet forces have already cut the to/wa'i rail communications on two sides. Two more Russian «rpei are moving towards Likhaya, 60 miles due north orßpstpv and the point at which the railway from Stalingrad joins that running down from Voronezh. One army is pushing along this Voronezh railway and the other is driving in from an easterly direction. The third rail centre directly threatened is Salsk, south-east of KQStov. . The Russians are said to he less than 20 miles away from Salsk, after capturing a town yesterday. Moscow radio said today that three Soviet columns were closing in on some of the German forces who had to abandon the town after a battle lasting three days and nights.

The Russians are across the Manych River, the last barrier before Salsk* and this afternoon they were reported to be fighting in the suburbs of a large town so far not named. They have also captured Voroshilovsk, the important railway town. The move towards Salsk threatens not only the Germans at Rostov, but the flank of Hitler'r army in the- Caucasus. Here the Russian advance continues rapidly. In 18 days they have covered 180 miles through difficult country. The next German base at which they are" striking is Armavir, which is now within 35 miles of their advanced units. North of these fronts the Soviet offensive that started from Voronezh, is reported to be developing powerfully and enemy forces which have been encircled are being steadily wiped out A correspondent cableß from Moscow that a very large number of guns and prisoners is being taken and that German supplies are falling into Russian hands. German casualties in Russia since the Russians started their offensive are estimated at more than 500,000 killed and more than 400,000 taken prisoner. In the same period the Germans lost 6000 tanks, 12,000 guns, and 1000 planes.

Russians Closing Upon Rail Centres

velopihg in the swampy .forests south of Lake Ladoga, where the Bed Army has advanced southwards after pPP~; ping up the whole south bank of the,, fake and the left bank of the NevaThe roar of gunfire echoes unceasingly through thelorests, while heavrtanks ;i rumble across half-frozen marshes. .> Stormoviks played, a 1 vital part -in; support of the ground forces in. thebattle for the crossing of th*. Neva.-. Grazing the tree-tops and telegraph., poles, they pounded the German_ posi-. lions during General Govorpv's breakthrough, while ski troops racaer across the frozen Lake Ladoga* and, stealing, through forests, took the enemy by SUBne Sof the bloodiest battles ©r the/: Leningrad break-through occurred, in; a workers' settlement at Sinytvmo,,, which crack German troops were .defending.- It changed hands several times and was finally taken after the Germans had lost more than 10,00<v men in killed and wounded.