POWERFUL DEFENCES BROKEN

Evening Star, Issue 25004, 25 October 1943, Page 3

POWERFUL DEFENCES BROKEN

RUSSIANS IN PURSUIT OF RETREATING ENEMY

(Ree. 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 24. All the Soviet Sunday newspapers are filled with joy at "the. big victory achieved over the Germans in the liberation of Melitopol. The newspapers underline that not only has Melitopol been taken, but that a decisive factor in the enemy's powerful defence zone 'has been broken. It is stressed that on Saturday the Germans still offered resistance,' but the Soviet troops by-passed the enemy's garrison in the northern part of the city, and threatened it with encirclement. Under this stress the Germans fled.

Some of the newspapers are publishing detailed reports about the street fighting in the city, stating that every street had been barricaded, from every cellar German riflemen attempted to offer resistance, and the streets had

to be taken building by building. On Saturday the Red army troops broke into buildings on the northern side of the city, niid wiped out the Germans by grenade and bayonet charges. ' Moscow radio says in the streets of Melitopol already one can see Red army troops laying cables. Soviet civilians who have lived for two years under the Nazi occupation are appearing and going to the military post to offer help. Soviet troops in pursuit of the retreating enemy are already beyond the city.