Drive In White Russia

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1943, Page 5

Drive In White Russia

; (By ffelegrapfc—Press Association—Copyright.)

Rec. noon. LONDON, October 5. Reuter says that frontline dispatches report Russian progress on all three, key points on the White Russian front. The offensive against the German bastions of Vitebsk; Mogilev, and Gomel continues in the altered conditions produced toy a fortnight's rain "which has turned the war of movement into a war of position. The Germans are now fighting on the outer defences of their strongest line in' Russia and temporally are in less danger.of rapid encirclement by the Bed Army. The Nazis are counter-attacking vigorously, but only on narrow sectors. Tonight's Soviet communique says that the Russians in Vitebsk direction fought local engagements and occupied 46 inhabited places. It adds that there was lively reconnaissance activity and exchanges of artillery fire on other fronts.

The Germans admit local Russian foreak-iibroiighs in violent fighting on both sides of the Orsha-Smolensk railway.

This is one of the routes to White. Russia. German sources also mention. a renewal of activity on the Leningrad' front, where large Russian troop move-; roents are reported. !

The Soviet High Command's objective is -continued attack and continued pressure against the enemy's constant retreat westwards, says Reuter. Frontline troops are now moving forward in half-mile jumps on narrow sectors instead- of five to ten miles daily on a 50-mile front.

It is a tribute to "the determination and energy of the Red Army that the summer offensive was prolonged sufficiently for the Russian troops to complete the occupation of the Dnieper; line. The fighting has now entered on' the autumn stage, which normally should 'have begun several weeks -ago. Reports from Germany emphasise; the attempts to leave only a scorched.) unpeopled country lor tne advancing Russians. It is claimed that Kremenchug's population has been removed,! but this is probably based on inten-' tions rather than fact, sa.ys "The Times" [ Stockholm correspondent. There is; little doubt that the -Germans had not; the capacity to remove (hurriedly; people who had not been moved earlier. The Germans are now (-showing that they expect the Russians to advance much closer to the 1939 frontier, especially in the Baltic States. "The Times" correspondent points out that the Germans are instructing the Baltic peoples [how. to act in ,an .emergency when, all man-power and woman-power will > be mobilised. The formation of local; Home Guards consisting of boys aged; 16 for possible action against "Bolshe-l vik .bands" has been ordered. ' WELL 'BEYON© ©HI&PER. The German pews agency has given the first indication of an -extensive Hed, Army penetration west <of the Dnieper. The agency iclaimed that the •Germans recaptured Chernobyl -in an •attack by armoured >and motorised forces. Chernobyl is near the junction of the Pripet and Ush Rivers, 40 miles southwest of Chernigov and 10 miles west of the Dnieper. ~ Berlin radio's commentator, Captain Sertorius, after saying that the {Russians are trying to widen the Dnieper bridgeheads, claims that the istabilisation of the .situation in the past few days will actually result in increased German resistance.

"The German command <6bviausly Tegarded the Dnieper as the last -line for a disengaging movement. Melitopol is included in the main battle line ior the rcover of the 'Crimea," lie said. "In the sector between Melitopol .and Zaporozhe there is only local activity, however, renewed concentrations behind the <enemy line's point to the possibility of a speedy resumption of largescale Russian attacks."

The German overseas radio stated that the Russian High Command was at present regrouping for new attacks. However, the Germa nannies were ready to repel any thrusts against their new defensive positions. The war on the Eastern Front had assumed a stationary character, but this did not mean the Russian, attacks would stop. Reuters Moscow correspondent says

the Russian offensive, is not yet over, but its character has been changed by the nature of the terrain and the weather.