LOSING INITIATIVE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 147, 18 December 1943, Page 7

LOSING INITIATIVE

GERMANS IN KIEV BULGE

Rec. 11.30 a.m. LONDON, Dec. 17. The titanic Battle of the Kiev Bulge has not yet reached finality, judging from Moscow correspondents' assessments. "The Times" says the indications are that between Malm and Kadomysi the initiative is being wrested from the enemy's tired hands. The German attacks south of the Teterev River are assuming the character of a desperate attempt to shatter the Russian plans for massive counterblows. ' The battle is now in a phase in which neither side can afforcf to disengage and in which the Russians have* the difficult task of launching a new offensive through lines on which men are still fighting, mainly defensively, but General Vatutin can be relied on to bide his time until the enemy's effort falters. It is confidently believed in Moscow that the enemy's tremendous losses of

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1 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiHiiiiiitiiiiiiiniiiuiii the past six weeks will cause his counter-blows in the Kiev salient to break down. Neuter says the latest news from the Kiev salient is satisfactory. The German attacks in the past 24 hours got nowhere and the Red Army, for the second day in succession, has improved its positions. : The Soviet communique, the shortest since October 6 during the lull between the summer and winter campaigns, mentions only one sector of the Russian front, Kirovograd. There Red Army troops have pushed their way forward in the face of enemy infantry and tank attacks and have improved their positions. The Germans are fighting back hard and have brought up strong tank forces, but in some sectors the Russians are still gaining ground. Neither the Russian nor the German: communique mentions the fighting west of Kiev. The Germans are still showing nervousness about the situation around Nevel. They say that they are outnumbered and that no reserves have arrived. ■