DRIVE ON BUDAPEST

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 137, 7 December 1944, Page 7

DRIVE ON BUDAPEST

REPORTED TO HAVE BEGUN

LONDON, December 6,

The Red Army has launched an allout offensive against Budapest, states the German overseas news agency. The assault began this morning, and seems to be taking the shape of a bid to envelop the Hungarian capital from the north-east and south. The German radio says that Soviet forces have already crossed to the west bank of the Danube below Budapest.

The Red Army has cut the ZagrebVienna railway as well as occupying towns near the northern and southern ends of Lake Balaton.

With almost three-quarters of Hungary in Russian hands, a fierce struggle is going on at the last approaches to Austria, states Reuters Moscow correspondent Marshal Tolbukhin's armoured forces have stormed past the south-western end of Lake Balaton after winning control of its most eastern shore. This move has given Tolbukhin a pivotal base for extending encircling movements round Budapest and Zagreb. The Russian vanguard has moved with extreme boldness, ranging over the countryside between Lake Balaton and the Drava River, south of which thousands of Croatian partisans loyal to Marshal Tito have gone over to a vigorous offensive. NEAR MALINOVSKY'S ARMY. Tolbukhin's advanced units in- the north are reported to be very near to contacting Marshal Malinovsky's flank established on Csepel Island, just bellow Budapest. According to a Yugoslav communique Marshal Tito's men, working in

unison with the Red Army, hays broken through the German lines between the Danube and Sava rivers and are rapidly advancing against the great railway junction of VinkovcL between Belgrade and Zagreb. .