DOUBLE THRUST

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 80, 2 October 1944, Page 5

DOUBLE THRUST

ATTACK ON YUGOSLAVIA

a . . « LONDON, October 1. A double thrust into the heart of Jugoslavia i s being developed by the Russians who routed the, Germans £ the first big battle on Yugoslav soil T/ S tM 5" tisfl VBit** Press Moscow ivh^ P- 0n? c?- t- The Soviet advance, JSS? lo S„ bel*evea> be aimed at Belgrade, 5,0 miles distant, is outflanking the German defences facing the Bulgarian border, while Marshal TolDuklnns troops concentrated in eastern Bulgaria will be able to join m whenever the moment is ripe. The German defences at the Iron k Ifr ar v f^Fl^ bein§ outflanked by Marshal Malmovsky's troops who alter crossing the Danube below the iron Gates, have fanned and turned out westward and southward. They have presumably linked up with Marshal Tito's forces.

Moscow "Red Star," describing the crossing of tlie Danube, says the Russians used fishing boats and thousands ol inflated craft. Red infantry swept across the river, with mortars, machine-guns, and light artillery. Yugoslav patriots, according to Marshal Tito's communique, have reached the Hungarian frontier on a 24-mile front, between Slajina and Virovitiea' lhe Red Army, with the co-opera-tion of Bulgarian forces, have begun the occupation of Greek Thrace, and are creating Communist local administrations, says the Exchange Telegraph agency's Istanbul correspondent.

PLACES FAR APART.

Some of the places taken by the Russians after crossing the Danube are 30 miles apart. Russian patrols have already made contact with Marshal Tito s forces. ,

After Soviet reconnaissance units had infiltrated Yugoslavia on Friday Russian troops yesterday crossed the frontier of Yugoslavia south of Rurnuseverin, says a Moscow communique. The Russians in their first engagements in Yugoslavia defeated the Germans and occupied 20 localities including Negotin Kladovo. ' ' The Russians also scored an important success in the eastern Carpathians, approaching within 40 miles ot Cluj, Rumania, after breaking the enemy line on the upper Mures River says the Moscow correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain. The Red Army, assisted by Czechs, has already cracked a 90-mile stretch of frontier fortifications defending the Ruthenian Hills, and in advances through northern Transylvania has driven wedges into every important Ruthenian, pass, extending its grip on the Czechoslovak frontier to 145 miles In spite of supply difficulties in the mountains, the Russians appear to be increasing: the force of their blows and are developing what may be an encircling threat to the remaining German units in northern Transylvania.