GROWING WIDER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 64, 13 September 1943, Page 5

GROWING WIDER

MAIN RUSSIAN SPEARHEAD

&\ , RUGBY, September. 11. The main Russian spearhead is not only driving towards Kiev and the middle Dnieper, but is becoming: broader and more solid as it goes. On its north flank the Russians are threatening Bryansk from the south, and simultaneously are advancing towards the city from the north. Bryansk is now in danger of envelopment. On the south flank the central thrust is also being broadened towards f*riluki and Eomny.

A second great drive which is pointing towards ■ the important cities .of Zaporozhe and Dnepropetrovsk also contains a serious double threat for the Germans, on either flank. To the south they have been forced to retire precipitate.lv from the River Kalmius after the fall of Mariupol. The whole of their laboriously constructed and desperately held positions south and, south-west of Kharkov are now alsoendangered by the Russian advance on Pavlograd and Lozovaya. The whole question of the defence of the Kuban and the • Crimea is becoming daily more insistent. Reports put the Russians less than 50 miles from the Dnieper north of Zaporozhe, and there has been no sign of a check in the south since Taganrog was captured nearly two weeks ago.

The Russians are still sweeping on. 10 to 15 miles daily west of Chaplino, and are now 40 miles from the Dnieper. The capture of 600 laden trucks and many" prisoners at Barvenkovo shows the speed of the German retreat.

* Moscow radio says that Russian, troops operating from the Krasnoarmeisk area are making progress towards Pavlograd, and are already fighting in the Dnepropetrovsk region; They are seriously threatening; yet another enemy rail communication. The' Germans have been forced to abandon troop trains and equipment.— 8.0/W".

NEW RUSSIAN LANDING

LONDON, September 11.— A German communique reports a;;; new Russian landing in the Novoros-' • sisk area. It claims ,that the Ger-\ ■„ mans have sunk or set on fire three' gunboats, one patrol boat, and. 11 land-,,", ing craft and are now- engaging the -•- remnants of the landing force..,- .' ; German artillery has begun abombardment to disrupt a large-scale ' Russian offensive against the Kuban ' which had been under preparation for some days

The communique says that ihe Ger- ' mans evacuated Mariupol "according - to plan" after destroying all militarily---' important installations.

U.S. PLANES RAID CANTON . Rec. 10.45 a.m. RUGBY, September 12. V United States aircraft raided Canton, ■. yesterday, according to a communiqueissued in Chungking. Five Japanese .. planes were shot down.—B.O.W.